


The Price of Victory

by sbmcneil



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Auror Harry Potter, Domestic Violence, F/M, Forced Marriage, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-13
Updated: 2018-05-20
Packaged: 2019-05-06 00:35:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 48,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14630325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sbmcneil/pseuds/sbmcneil
Summary: Almost eight years after Voldemort’s defeat, some of those who fought to defeat him were still paying the price. Ginny Weasley had been sacrificed to the son of a Death Eater to pay her family’s debts. Now she was trying to save her children from becoming like their father. Will end up H/G, but does not start that way. *Trigger warnings – non-consensual sex, Domestic Violence*





	1. The Price of Victory

**Author's Note:**

> This is a very different type of story for me. It does not start out as H/G, but does end up this way. Thank you to Arnel for her amazingly fast beta work as well as Mark for Brit picking. I hope you enjoy!

Ginny refused to cry until she was safely under the noisy spray of the shower. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing he’d reduced her to tears. Curling up on the marble bench in the shower, she sobbed out her rage and hurt. She always felt so violated after he visited. To know that when he invaded her bed, he’d come straight from **her** bed was humiliating and disgusting. The only good point was the fact that he was fastidious about cleanliness so he always showered before changing bedpartners.

Even so, she always felt so dirty when he did that. It wasn’t fair. This wasn’t supposed to happen. After she composed herself, she quickly washed up and left the shower. Waiting for her on the bathroom counter was a tray that contained a small jar of bruise paste, a vial of mild pain potion, and a vial of any anti-inflammatory potion. She had to smile at the devotion of her house-elf, Lia.

Thankfully, she downed the potions and carefully applied the bruise paste to her face. The bruises on her arms would be covered by her clothes so she didn’t bother with them.

She slipped on her silk dressing gown and headed into her large, well-appointed dressing room. Lia had already laid out a set of beautifully embroidered greenish-blue robes. Ginny dressed and sat down at her vanity, she carefully applied her makeup to hide the bruising until the bruise paste had a chance to work. It was frustrating to know that her brothers sold an excellent bruise paste, but of course she was not allowed to frequent her brothers’ shop. She thought her husband deliberately provided substandard bruise paste so she would stay bruised longer.

After her makeup was done, she carefully styled her hair and put in her diamond earrings. She hated them, but they matched her engagement and wedding bands and he insisted that she wear them. Once she was certain her appearance in no way betrayed her emotional turmoil, she left the dressing room and hurried up to the nursery.

The sight of her children caused her to smile for the first time that day. Perseus and Orion were already eating their breakfast. Mimi, the nursery elf, was overseeing Titania’s bath.

“Good morning, Mistress,” Mimi said as she caught sight of Ginny.

“Good morning, Mimi,” Ginny replied. “I need the children dressed in their best.”

“Is father here?” Perseus asked softly.

“Yes, darling,” Ginny said as she knelt next to the small table where her sons were sitting. “I don’t know if he will wish to see you, but if he does, don’t forget the rules.”

Perseus and Orion nodded solemnly. “No laughing, stand still, don’t touch father, and only answer questions if asked,” Perseus named the rules.

“Yes, love,” Ginny said sadly. She hated that her children lived in fear of their father, but as she did as well there wasn’t a whole lot she could do about it.

“We’ll be really good, Mummy,” Orion said earnestly.

“I know you will, sweetie.” Ginny pressed a kiss on his soft strawberry blonde hair.

Lia popped into the nursery to assist with getting the children fed and dressed in their best robes. Twenty minutes later, Ginny smiled to see her brave, beautiful children ready to go downstairs. Seven-year-old Perseus and six-year-old Orion were dressed in their pale green dress robes with their black dress shoes gleaming. Both boys had short strawberry blond hair that was slicked back away from their faces. Perseus had his father’s pale grey eyes while Orion had her brown eyes. Three-year-old Titania looked just like her mother with unruly red curls, a sprinkling of freckles across her face and big, brown eyes. Lia had managed to tame Titania’s curls into a plait down her back.

“Don’t you all look wonderful,” Ginny smiled.

She glanced over at her loyal elf who said, “Master and…his guest are enjoying breakfast in the morning room. He has requested an audience with the children before leaving.”

Ginny nodded shortly. Lia looked at her sadly. “Does you want some breakfast, Mistress?”

Ginny shook her head. “No, I don’t have an appetite this morning.”

Thirty minutes later, Ginny stood with her children in the parlour waiting for their father. She could hear the sycophantic laughter of her husband’s mistress. It was a sound that went straight through her. Not that she really cared who her husband was sleeping with, but why in Merlin’s name did he have to bring her here? The children didn’t need to see such behaviour.

Glancing over at her sons, she straightened Perseus’ tie and brushed Orion’s hair back. “You are such good boys,” she whispered. She wished she could do something about the scared look on their faces, but they had reason to fear their father and they knew it. When he’d visited six months ago, he’d hit  
Perseus for smiling at him.

When she heard the click of Pansy’s heels, Ginny straightened up and gestured for the children to do the same. The boys stood at attention with their hands behind their backs. Ginny held Titania’s hand to keep her still. The little girl must have instinctively understood that she had to behave because she held perfectly still.

Draco entered the parlour with Pansy on his arm. Ginny’s face fell into impassive lines as she watched her husband inspect their children. He nodded approvingly. “Good.”

His attention turned to his wife. “There will be a Ministry ball in London next week. You will attend with me.”

Pansy’s smile slid off her face. “But Draco.”

Without even looking, Draco backhanded her. “Quiet woman!”

“Ginevra, you will arrive at my mother’s house next Thursday and be prepared to stay for a week. The children will remain here,” Draco said pompously.

“Yes, Draco,” Ginny replied as she was expected to do.

“Make sure you bring appropriate attire,” Draco drawled. “Mother will help if you are unable to do so yourself.”

“I can pick out appropriate attire,” Ginny said with a calm she certainly wasn’t feeling. “I went shopping with your mother last month and ordered new clothes.”

“Very good,” Draco said. He ran his eyes over his wife. “You should have joined me and Pansy last night, we could have had a lot of fun. It was fun one at a time, but it would have been more fun with the two of you together.”

Ginny glared at him without responding. He’d only tried to force her to join him and whatever girl he’d brought home once. That had been early in their marriage. She had hexed him to the point he left her alone. Of course he’d beaten her before he left and confiscated her wand, but he hadn’t attempted to coerce her again.

Laughing, he led Pansy out of the room. Ginny didn’t move until she heard the door close behind him. Dobby popped into the room and handed her back her wand. “Thank you, Dobby,” she said.

“You are welcome, Mistress,” Dobby said. “Dobby must return to London.”

“Of course,” Ginny agreed. Once he left, she relaxed. Looking over at her children, she smiled. “You did really well.” She picked up Titania and kissed her on the cheek. Perseus and Orion hugged her and she put an arm around their shoulders.

“You have to leave?” Perseus asked.

“Not yet, love,” Ginny reassured him. “When I leave, Lia and Mimi will look after you.”

Seeing his downcast face, Ginny silently cursed her husband for the millionth time. “Why don’t we all go outside? Let’s go up to the nursery and get changed. We can play outside.”

Perking up both boys ran to the stairs with Titania not far behind. Ginny followed at a more sedate pace. She was going to change into jeans before going outside.

* * *

The warmth of the mid-summer sun shone down on her as Ginny slowly relaxed. Whenever Draco visited, she was always on edge. He delighted in tormenting her. When she’d first been installed out here in the country house, she thought it would be fun to get some baby chicks. Her mother had always had chickens.

Draco had been furious when he’d found out. She vividly remembered him dragging her outside and snapping the necks of the baby chicks one by one before destroying the little pen she’d made for them. He’d reminded her she was now a Malfoy, not a poor blood-traitor. She was never to embarrass him in that way again.

Pushing her husband out of her mind, she smiled at the sight of her children playing together. It had been raining most of the week, so it was a relief to get out of the house and let them play. Orion and Perseus were supposed to be playing tag, but mostly they were splashing in the mud puddles. Titania, was busy collecting flowers to make a flower chain.

As if realizing her mother was watching her, Titania looked up and smiled. Ginny returned the smile and blew the little girl a kiss. If Orion and Perseus favoured their father, Titania was all her. From her bright red hair and big brown eyes to the smile that Ginny saw every day in the mirror, her daughter was her in miniature.

A sense of contentment stole over her as she warmed herself in the sun. When she was with her children, she could pretend that everything was okay. When she was outside, she didn’t have to look around the perfectly elegant mansion in which she lived and miss her parents’ home. While Malfoy Manor was incredibly elegant, it was also cold and sterile, not like the loud and loving home in which she’d grown up. Eight years ago, she would never have imagined that she’d find herself in this situation.

It had all started in the autumn of her seventh year at Hogwarts. The war had ended over the summer and everyone was so relieved and happy. The fear and apprehension that they’d lived under for so long had evaporated almost overnight. There were parties and fireworks, all sorts of celebrations. Her parents had thrown a huge party for their family and friends at their family home, The Burrow, to celebrate. Diagon Alley was a joyous place, not the dreary and scary place it had been for the past several years. Shopping for her school supplies had been a joy that year, not a task to be hurriedly completed as it had been for so many years. She recalled sitting in the Great Hall with her friends enjoying breakfast.

Demelza and Julia were her best friends in Gryffindor. After her disastrous first year, it had taken her some time to find her place, but she’d finally made some good friends. She was a Chaser on the Gryffindor team, towards the top of most of her classes, and best of all she didn’t have an older brother looking over her shoulder this year. This was going to be a wonderful year!

As she reached for another few slices of bacon, the morning owls flew down to deliver their messages and packages. Ginny watched with interest as Demelza unwrapped the latest edition of _Witch Weekly._

“Harry Potter!” Julia squealed as she caught sight of the handsome young man on the front of the magazine.

Ginny looked over at the magazine with interest. She couldn’t deny that she was curious about the reclusive and mysterious man who had saved them all. She knew he was only a year older than she was, but he hadn’t been educated at Hogwarts. According to all of the rumours, he’d been in training most of his life. He’d openly come out against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named four years ago and had been one of the leaders of the resistance. Over the summer he had killed You-Know-Who in a huge battle in a town called Little Hangleton.

Ginny’s father and older brothers had fought in the battle and luckily they had all escaped with their lives. Two of her older brothers, Bill and Fred, had been injured in battle and had spent the summer recovering. While most of the Hogwarts’ students had been sheltered from the war, there were still some students missing. Luna Lovegood, one of Ginny’s best friends, was among them. She had been taken from King’s Cross last year and held in an attempt to silence her father’s outspoken support of Harry Potter. Ginny had heard from Luna over the summer and hoped Luna would be returning later this year.

“He’s so cute,” Julia said breathlessly as Demelza opened the magazine.

“He is,” Ginny had to admit as she gazed at the pull out poster that had come in the magazine. Harry Potter was fit and tall with longish black hair he wore pulled back in a ponytail. His infamous scar was barely visible. He was pictured on Diagon Alley, but he was looking directly at the camera. Looking over the picture, Ginny thought his best feature were his brilliant, green eyes. They were lively and intelligent and while he didn’t look happy per se, he did look relieved.

“I heard he’s going to join the Aurors,” Demelza said.

“I imagine he’d be good at that,” Ginny said, “he’s certainly had a lot of practice chasing down Dark wizards. My brother, Bill, saw him in action. He said that Harry was really good, especially when you consider his age.”

After perusing the article, Demelza looked up at Ginny. “Are you excited about the Hogsmeade weekend?”

Ginny shrugged. “It’s always nice to get out of the castle.”

“I heard that David was going to ask you,” Julia said excitedly referring to the cute Hufflepuff prefect.

“Really?” Ginny glanced over at the Hufflepuff table. She’d had classes with David for years. He was very sweet. She blushed slightly as he caught her eye. He was rather dreamy with his curly brown hair and blue eyes. “That would be nice.”

“You’re not still with Dean, right?” Julia asked.

Ginny shook her head. “No, he was too…I don’t know, he kept wanting to tell me what to do. A long distance relationship would never work out for the two of us. He was nice, but he certainly wasn’t the one.”

The three girls left the table in high spirits. As they left the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall was walking across the entrance hall. Upon spotting Ginny, she said, “Miss Weasley, will you please join me in my office?”

A feeling of unease rose up within her. Why would the headmistress want to see her? “Of course, Professor.”

Waving to her friends, Ginny fell in behind the older witch and nervously followed her to her office. Her grades were good so she didn’t think it was about her schoolwork. She’d had a letter from her mother the previous day and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Her brothers were all doing well. Bill was back in Egypt working in the tombs. As soon as he’d recovered from his wounds, he’d left England taking his new wife, Fleur, with him. Charlie was happy in Romania with his dragons. Percy was working at the Ministry and doing quite well for himself. The twins had an owl order joke business. They were saving for an actual shop, but were doing quite well for themselves. Her youngest brother, Ron, had just graduated from Hogwarts. He was working for the Ministry in the Department of Games and Magical Sports.

When they arrived in the headmistresses’ office, Ginny’s anxiety jumped up another few notches when she saw her father waiting for her.

“Dad!” she automatically hugged him. “What’s wrong? Is everyone okay?”

“Your mother and brothers are fine,” Mr Weasley reassured her. “Sit down, dear.”

Nervously, Ginny sat down in the chair next to her father. Professor McGonagall sat down behind her desk. Ginny noticed that the headmistress had a worried look on her face.

“What’s wrong?” she asked again.

“I’ve just come from the Ministry. I was called into the Minister’s office yesterday morning,” Mr Weasley began with a break in his voice. To Ginny’s horror, she noticed tears welling up in her father’s eyes. “Your brother, Percy, was there as well. Over the past few years, Percy seems to have run up a good deal of debt. He owes almost seven hundred and fifty Galleons.”

Ginny frowned. That was a lot of money, but what did it have to do with her?

“The problem is he owes the money to Lucius Malfoy,” Mr Weasley continued as Ginny gasped at the name of the Malfoy patriarch. The disagreement between the Weasleys and Malfoys had been simmering for years, boiling over when Mr Malfoy planted an enchanted diary on Ginny in an attempt to derail the Muggle Protection Act championed by Mr Weasley.

“Percy didn’t realize who he was borrowing from as he was using a company recommended to him by Minister Fudge. Overspending is a common mistake that many young people make when they first leave home,” Mr Weasley explained. It seemed as though he was trying to excuse Percy’s mistakes.

Wondering how this impacted her, Ginny could see how it could happen. Percy had left home as the war was heating up. Their parents hadn’t been able to help him set up his own household and he’d had to start from scratch. Knowing Mr Malfoy she was nervous about Percy having to repay him.

“This morning, I discovered that Malfoy also bought up the outstanding loan that I have on the Burrow, which comes to another thirty-five hundred Galleons. He is demanding the entire payment in the next fifteen days,” Mr Weasley continued.

“Fifteen days?” Ginny gasped. How was even half that amount to be repaid so soon?

“Bill has offered some money, but it isn’t enough to cover the entire amount. Because he’s just taken out a mortgage on Shell Cottage, he can’t borrow enough to help us,” Mr Weasley continued miserably.

“With more time, we could raise the money, but with the short notice and the restrictions Mr Malfoy has placed upon us, we can’t come up with the money. We were turned down for a second mortgage. If we can’t come up with the total amount in the next fifteen days, he will confiscate the Burrow and Percy, your mother and I will likely have to go to prison.”

Tears started streaming down Ginny’s face. How could this happen just when things were going well? Her mother in prison? She would never survive. “What is going to happen?” Ginny asked. “Do I need to go to work? I can do that.”

Through his own tears, Mr Weasley managed to smile for his daughter and reached out for her hand. “No, love. Mr Malfoy presented an alternative. I turned him down, but he insisted I bring it to you or else he would do so.”

Ginny looked confused especially when she saw a look of horror spread across Professor McGonagall’s face. “What is it? If it will keep you and mum out of jail…”

“Mr Malfoy said he would erase the entire debt against our family in exchange for your hand in marriage to his son, Draco,” Mr Weasley said uncomfortably as he refused to meet Ginny’s eyes.

“Arthur!” Professor McGonagall exclaimed.

“I know,” Mr Weasley said miserably. “He’s trying to humiliate us. He’s angry that his side lost, but he maintains enough influence with Fudge that he can enforce this deal.”

“He’s trying to buy respectability,” Professor McGonagall said angrily.

Ginny didn’t hear anything past her hand in marriage to Draco. Draco Malfoy? The whisper of thousands of insults that he’d heaped on her and her friends and family over the years filled her head. Draco claimed that he’d been forced to join the Death Eaters, but Ginny didn’t think that was true.

“Is there no other way?” Ginny asked.

“He’s refused to give us more time to come up with the money, which unfortunately is his right,” Mr Weasley explained. “I don’t have the money and I am unable to borrow more. I even tried to see if I could borrow money in the Muggle world, but I don’t have the right documentation or enough time. The boys have tried to put some money together, but we simply don’t have enough. I thought I had time to pay back our loan. I had a payment schedule, but when Malfoy bought up my loan he consolidated the payments.”

“Draco couldn’t want to marry me,” Ginny protested. “He hates me.”

“I think it is more about humiliating our family,” Mr Weasley said, his tears finally breaking free. “He’s planned this well. I believe this was his escape strategy. By allying himself with our family, he buys some respectability in the eyes of the wizarding world. Because Malfoy has offered a way to keep us out of prison, the Ministry is insisting we attempt to reach an agreement rather than go to prison. They don’t want us to go to jail when we will be needed to rebuild the Ministry.”

“So can’t they put pressure on Malfoy to give you more time?” Ginny asked a bit desperately.

Arthur shook his head. “I’ve spent this morning with legal specialists who say he has done all of this within the law. I tried last night and this morning to raise the money. My friends in the Ministry are sympathetic, but everyone has suffered with this war and no one has the kind of money to help us out.”

“Has he guaranteed her safety?” Professor McGonagall demanded. “What sort of contract has he presented?”

Ginny looked up startled. She hadn’t even thought that far ahead.

“He has guaranteed her safety, but she will have to leave Hogwarts,” Mr Weasley sighed. “I tried to get him to allow her to finish school, but he wouldn’t budge on that point. She will have to present him with an heir within the first year.”

Watching her father, Ginny suddenly realized that he’d only mentioned the possible prison time to make her feel better. She was going to have to marry Draco Malfoy. Bile rose in her throat. It wasn’t fair. She tried swallowing, but found she couldn’t. Professor McGonagall had been watching her and quickly conjured up a bucket. Ginny emptied her stomach and continued retching for several long minutes.

Professor McGonagall came around her desk and gently rubbed Ginny’s back when Mr Weasley seemed paralyzed. She conjured up a cool, wet flannel and handed it to the now sobbing girl. Once Ginny wiped her mouth, she cried on the professor’s shoulder even as she heard her father’s sobs.

Sitting up she wiped her face as anger surged through her. What right did he have to cry? She had no interest in marrying Malfoy, hell she had no interest in ever seeing him again. “Where is mum?”

“She was too upset to come,” Mr Weasley explained sadly. “I had to give her a Calming Draught last night and she was almost hysterical this morning.”

“Why? She isn’t being forced to marry her worst enemy,” Ginny said angrily. “Couldn’t she be here for me?”

“She will be,” Mr Weasley hastened to reassure her, but Ginny wasn’t falling for his reassurance. She jumped up from her chair and faced him.

“So I get sold to Malfoy and you all get to keep everything?” Ginny yelled. “How is that fair? I didn’t do anything! I won’t marry him! He hates me! How could you do this to me? After all I heard after my first year about being more cautious, you don’t even realize who holds the mortgage on the Burrow? Why weren’t you being cautious?”

“I am so sorry,” Mr Weasley said earnestly desperately trying to calm his irate daughter. “I am still trying to find a way out, but Malfoy seems set on using you to satisfy the debt.”

“What would happen if I refuse?” Ginny asked wiping her tears away.

“I’m afraid you would join Percy, your mother, and me in jail,” Mr Weasley said. “I’m still trying to see if I can get someone else to assume the debt, but I’m afraid that Malfoy has planned this too well. I fear it will fail.”

“I thought Fudge was out of office,” Ginny said trying to find anything to prevent this horror.

“He will be by the end of the week,” Mr Weasley agreed, “but he signed off on this arrangement. Even if a more sympathetic Minister is elected, it will be too late to change this.”

Ginny fell back in her chair with her head in her hands. When her father reached out to comfort her, she pulled away from him.

“When will the wedding take place?” Professor McGonagall asked. Ginny was grateful for her calming presence.

“Next month,” Mr Weasley admitted. “Malfoy wishes for the wedding to take place on the 17th of October.”

Despite everything her family tried, Ginny ended up marrying Malfoy on 17 October 1998 — a short two months after her seventeenth birthday. The first few months of her marriage were a blur of terror and pain. Malfoy visited her nightly to ensure she conceived. She had been so thankful to realize she was pregnant. That had stopped him visiting her for a while.

Looking up at her children, Ginny was thrilled that she had someone to love. Malfoy mostly left her alone in the country with the children while he spent most of his time in London with his ex-Death Eater cronies and various mistresses. It certainly wasn’t the life she’d dreamt of, but she was making the best of it.


	2. The Ministry Ball

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry returns to England and meets the beautiful, young Mrs Malfoy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to my beta, Arnel, and Brit picker, Mark! I realize this subject is not to everyone's liking, but thank you to those who give it a try :)

The mid-August morning was surprisingly cool as Harry ran through Hyde Park. It was his second morning back in England and he’d been expecting it to be a bit warmer, but weather aside he was very glad to be home. He was following his favourite jogging path that took him by many of the historic sites of London. It was a long route, but Harry didn’t mind. He jogged down the Mall and took a route that led him through St James’s Park, Green Park, Hyde Park, and Kensington Gardens.

He found that if he started early enough, he could beat the crowds of tourists who wanted to see Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace. Some days he enjoyed running along the Thames, but after having been out of the country for the past five months he wanted to run through the parks. When he returned to St James’s Park, he jogged across the bridge over the lake and turned off onto a less used path. After looking around to ensure he wasn’t followed, he stepped off the path and after casting a Disillusioning Spell on himself, he Disapparated back to his godfather’s house.

After a quick shower, he headed down to the basement kitchen of his godfather’s old family home. He’d spent most of his teen years here with his godfather learning to fight and defeat Voldemort. Originally it had been Professor Dumbledore’s idea to use the old Black family home as a base of operations. Together with Remus Lupin, Dumbledore, and Sirius were his main teachers, but Professors McGonagall and Flitwick had helped with his education while Aurors Tonks and Shacklebolt helped with his training. When they’d first arrived at Grimmauld Place it had been a depressing and dreary place, but Sirius brought in a Magical abatement company that had cleaned out the house before remodelling and restoring the home to its former glory.

He found Sirius in the kitchen. “Good morning.”

“Good morning,” Sirius replied as he put his newspaper down.

Harry helped himself to a cup of tea and some toast from the rack on the sideboard. After a moment, he added some eggs and sausage.

“How was South America?” Sirius asked.

“Hot,” Harry laughed. He shrugged. “It wasn’t too bad. I worked with the local Brazilian officials to track a group of Dark wizards. Brazil is a lovely country. I was able to explore the rain forest and travel down the Amazon.”

“Any beautiful senoritas?” Sirius asked with a leering grin.

Rolling his eyes, Harry laughed. “I met a few girls, went on a few dates, but nothing special. It was fun and it did help me learn Portuguese a lot faster.”

“You will be coming to the Ministry ball, right?”

Harry groaned. “I knew I should have stayed away another few weeks.”

Sirius laughed. “If I have to go, so do you.”

“How is Madam Bones doing as Minister for Magic?” Harry asked curiously.

Sirius shrugged. “She’s better than Fudge. I kept trying to get Kingsley to run, but he’s happy as Head Auror.”

“He would be good,” Harry agreed. “I’d consider working for him.”

“But not Madam Bones?”

It was Harry’s turn to shrug. “She’s a lot more political than I would like. I saw enough of her wheeling and dealing when I was with Susan. She meddles too much in the Auror Department. I see Malfoy is still out and about.”

“Unfortunately,” Sirius scowled. “He’s not as bad as his father was, but that’s not much of a distinction. He’s still working with his former Death Eater associates. They are purportedly working together — some type of investment group.”

“Investment group,” Harry snorted. “Please, give me a break. I would have thought associating with former Death Eaters would be against his agreement with the Ministry.”

“I know, but Bones is putting pressure on them to not to punish him,” Sirius explained. “Malfoy is a real piece of work. What he did to the Weasleys — I still can’t believe no one stepped up to stop them.”

“What did he do?” Harry asked curiously. He vaguely recalled hearing something about Malfoy the year after he defeated Voldemort, but he’d honestly been so messed up he didn’t remember a whole lot.

“It was while we were in Bermuda,” Sirius explained. “It was more the old man than Draco, but he was involved too. Old Lucius bought up a lot of debt belonging to the Weasley family. Do you remember them? They are a good family — poor, but great family. Arthur and Molly have seven children — six boys and one girl. Arthur and the oldest boys were involved in the Order.”

“Red haired? I seem to recall some twins and a curse-breaker,” Harry said as he thought back.

“Exactly,” Sirius said. “One of their sons, Percy, distanced himself from the Order. He worked for Fudge and was quite taken in by him. Fudge lured him in with the old, ‘You need to present a proper image.’ He apparently did that with a lot of up and comers at the Ministry and then sent them to Malfoy’s company to borrow money. Malfoy would call the loan at opportune moments — opportune for him of course, not the borrower.”

“What did he want from the Weasleys?” Harry asked curiously.

“Revenge,” Sirius said simply. “Arthur wrote the Muggle Protection Act and he’s well known as someone sympathetic to Muggles. It was obvious with Voldemort’s defeat that Arthur would be more respectable than the Malfoys. Lucius hated that fact and hated him. In addition to Percy’s debt, Lucius arranged for his company to buy up the outstanding balance on Arthur’s mortgage.”

“Damn, he really did have it in for them,” Harry commented.

“You know how Lucius was,” Sirius said. “Once you defeated Voldemort and revealed old Lucy as a Death Eater, he needed a veneer of respectability. Fudge held onto office just long enough to help him. Lucius gave Arthur two weeks to come up with the entire balance, over four thousand Galleons. Arthur was unable to arrange a second mortgage or borrow the money from anyone. His two oldest boys in particular tried to raise the money themselves. Bill offered to serve the prison sentence his parents would have incurred by not paying the debt, but that offer was turned down.”

Sighing, Sirius said, “I really wish I’d known. I’d have helped him in a heartbeat, but we were still in Bermuda and honestly I don’t remember a lot of that year after you won.”

“I don’t either,” Harry admitted.

“Anyhow, Arthur wasn’t given a choice. Old Lucius offered to wipe out the debt in exchange for Arthur’s beautiful, Pureblood daughter marrying Draco.”

“Oh my God,” Harry exclaimed. “Please tell me someone prevented that.”

Sirius shook his head. “Minerva was beside herself. The girl was in her seventh year at Hogwarts. She was pulled out of school and forced to marry the bastard. I hear they’ve had several children. She stayed in London until she was pregnant and he’s mostly kept her at his country home since then. He stays in London and whores around. He brings her into town once or twice a year to rub it in her parents’ face and to remind people that ‘he’s changed.’”

“Poor girl,” Harry said. “Too bad we didn’t get Lucius earlier.”

Sirius nodded. One of Harry’s first cases with the International Auror division had been to investigate Lucius Malfoy and his business dealings. He’d proven that Lucius was still dabbling in Dark magic. Lucius had died in a duel with the International Aurors.

“Right after Lucius was killed, Draco immediately came out with a statement that he was shocked and appalled that his father had been involved in such a thing. Draco, of course, was forced by his father to take the Dark Mark. He was never a true believer,” Sirius said sarcastically.

“Right,” Harry replied. “I think we might be starting another investigation into Draco and his other ‘innocent’ little friends. I think he’s working with his Uncle Rodolphus and Antonin Dolohov. We’ve been assigned to investigate their activities in Eastern Europe. Several former Soviet countries and allies have reported a spike in Dark magic activity.”

“Will you be in England for a while?” Sirius asked.

“I’ll be here for a month or so,” Harry said. “I’m not sure after that.”

“So, you are free to go to this ball,” Sirius said triumphantly.

Rolling his eyes, Harry said, “I guess.” A thought crossed his mind. “Is Remus trying to set me up again?”

Sirius laughed. “He’s been going on about this one girl. She’s very clever and has been very successful at the Ministry. She works in Magical Creatures — she a bit of a crusader. House-elves rights I believe are her passion.”

Harry made a face. “Lovely. I really like Remus, but we don’t have the same taste in women at all. Why doesn’t he try to find a girl for himself? Has he even dated anyone since Tonks died?”

Sirius shook his head. “I don’t think so. He spends most of his time with Andromeda and Teddy.”

“When is this ball?” Harry asked.

“Saturday,” Sirius replied.

Finishing his tea, Harry stood. “I better go see about some new dress robes. Maybe I’ll go see Teddy.”

* * *

Harry Apparated to Andromeda’s house. Remus and Teddy had moved in with her after the final battle. While the relationship between Andromeda and Remus had been a bit rough at times, they managed to settle into a routine. Andromeda watched Teddy during the day while Remus was working and she had developed a strong, loving relationship with her grandson.

Before he could knock on the door, he heard noise from the back garden. He quickly recognized Teddy’s voice and laughter and heard barking. Harry smiled as he headed to the back of the house. He had purchased a small black puppy for Teddy for his eighth birthday. Teddy had taken one look at the puppy and named him Midnight. Sirius would transform into Padfoot and Teddy had a brilliant time playing with the two dogs.

After he entered the back garden he took a moment to watch his godson playing with the puppy. Teddy had grown in the past five months, this morning he was sporting his favourite colour turquoise hair.

“Harry!!”

Teddy caught sight of Harry and dropping the stick he had been throwing to the puppy and ran into Harry’s waiting arms.

“Teddy!” Harry hugged him tightly and relished the feeling of holding the little boy in his arms. Setting him down, Harry stayed crouched down on Teddy’s level. “I’ve missed you, kiddo.”

“I missed you, too.” Teddy beamed.

Midnight bounded over to them barking. Harry laughed as the puppy jumped at him, trying to lick him. “Is Midnight being a good puppy?”

Teddy nodded enthusiastically. “Midnight is a great puppy! He likes to play with me.”

“Teddy! Where are you?” Andromeda had come out into the back garden to look for her grandson. She stopped short when she saw Harry standing there.

“Harry!” She hurried up and gave him a hug. Harry smiled and leaned down to kiss her cheek.

Andromeda had truly become family to him over the past eight years. “I am so glad to see you.”

* * *

Later that afternoon, Harry found himself on Diagon Alley. He’d always loved the wizarding shopping area. It was one of the first places that Sirius had taken him after rescuing him from his Muggle relatives when he was a child and he always felt that sense of wonderment when he entered the alley.

A glance in Madam Malkin’s windows showed that they probably wouldn’t have what he was looking for. He made his way over to Twillfitt and Tattings. It was a more upscale shop and usually had a better selection of dress robes. He entered the shop and quickly found what he needed.

“Excellent selection, dear. It looks wonderful on you,” the sales witch cooed. “Would you like to take this with you?”

“Yes,” Harry said absently. He would need to take it to his tailor to get it fitted, but it usually wasn’t an issue. He and Sirius were good customers and their tailor always managed to get his robes finished on time.

As he turned to leave the shop, he almost groaned out loud when his former girlfriend, Susan Bones, entered.

“Harry!” Susan exclaimed as she threw her arms around him. Harry returned the hug, but quickly took a step back.

“Hello, Susan,” Harry said.

“I didn’t know you were back in the country.”

“I just returned,” Harry replied trying to discretely find a way out of this conversation.

“Will you be at the ball?” she asked excitedly.

Reluctantly he nodded.

“Will you save me a dance?” she asked as she glanced up flirtatiously.

“Okay,” he replied a bit warily.

Before he could escape, a friend of Susan’s entered and headed right over to them. He discovered the young lady’s name was Astoria Greengrass. She was also thrilled that he was to be attending the ball.

“I hope to find a great gown,” Astoria said. “I’ve heard that **she’s** going to be there.”

Susan’s eyes widened. “Really? She normally doesn’t come for things like this.”

“I know,” Astoria said. “Poor Draco. I can only imagine how difficult it must be for him to have such a difficult wife.”

Remembering his conversation with Sirius that morning, Harry couldn’t help but remark, “I thought she was forced to marry him.”

Astoria rolled her eyes. “Of course, that’s the way her family portrays it. As if the Malfoys would stoop to that. She was a poor witch and now she’s rich — what is she complaining about? Not to mention that Draco is so dreamy.”

“He was a Death Eater,” Harry objected.

Both girls looked at him as if he suddenly offended them. “His father forced him into that,” Astoria said. “He never really believed in all of that nonsense.”

“So when he was duelling me and praising the ‘Dark Lord’ he was what…joking?” Harry asked incredulously.

Looking a bit less sure of herself, Astoria teared up. “You don’t have to be so mean! You don’t know how hard it has been since you defeated the Dark Lord.”

Harry watched in astonishment as the young lady fled towards the dress robes. He turned back to see Susan looking at him disapprovingly. “Harry, she has every right to be upset. She was dating Draco when he was forced to marry the Weasley girl.”

“I think Miss Weasley has more reason to be upset,” Harry observed mildly.

Susan shrugged. “Astoria’s right. She was poor and now she’s rich — why should she complain?”

“Because she was forced to marry a Death Eater against her will,” Harry replied astounded at the girl’s attitude.

“I don’t really think he was a Death Eater,” she said confidently. “My aunt has told me of his remorse. He was horrified when he realized his father was continuing to dabble in Dark Arts. I think he misunderstood what he was getting into and he’s trying to reform. He is devastated that he allowed his father to talk him into taking the Dark Mark. That’s why he agreed to marry that cow. Her family is very respectable and unfortunately he needed that at the time.”

Shaking his head at the blindness of people, he left the shop feeling a bit deflated. How had Draco become a sympathetic person? He knew that Susan tended to be a bit catty, that was one of the things that had caused their relationship to fail. It could simply be that she didn’t like Miss Weasley — Harry couldn’t recall her first name at the moment, but the praise of Draco made him uneasy.

Leaving the shop, Harry dropped the robes and the suit he’d just purchased in Muggle London at his tailor’s shop. As Harry suspected, the tailor assured him they would be ready by Friday afternoon.

He decided to stop by the Ministry to visit with Remus and Kingsley. Leaving Diagon Alley, he walked the short distance to the visitors’ entrance to the Ministry of Magic. He remembered the first time he’d visited the Ministry. The Headquarters of the Ministry of Magic had been almost as amazing as Diagon Alley.

There were large arching entrances to the fireplaces with the peacock blue ceiling and its golden symbols — the Atrium was brilliant. To a young boy raised in the Muggle world, it looked like he thought a magical world should look.

The fountain of Magical Brethren had been replaced by a fountain of Magical Peace. It was a beautiful fountain. Water sprayed out in the colours of the rainbow with magical doves fluttering in and out of the water. It was more theatrical than the previous fountain, but Harry liked it better.

After checking his wand at the security gate, Harry headed to the fourth floor and the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Remus was the head of the Werewolf Support Services. One of the things that Harry had insisted upon after the war was the reopening of that division. With some of his reward money for killing Voldemort, he hired two Potions Masters who made Wolfsbane for any werewolf who requested it — free of charge. According to Remus, that had made a huge difference not only in the way werewolves were seen and treated, but also in how the werewolves saw themselves. There were much fewer werewolf attacks these days. The program was so successful that the French Ministry was planning to implement a similar program.

“Harry!” Remus exclaimed. He hurried from around his desk and hugged the young man. “I’m so glad to see you! Teddy already told me that you’d come around this morning. He was thrilled that you visited him.”

“I always love to see him,” Harry replied with a smile. “He’s getting so big. I can’t believe he’s eight already.”

“I know,” Remus replied. “He’s getting bigger and more independent all the time. He’s reading now.”

“He told me he’s swimming,” Harry said.

Remus nodded. “Surprisingly Andromeda has been taking him for lessons. He quite enjoys it.”

The two men spent some time catching up. Harry told Remus about his time in Brazil and Remus talked about Teddy’s adventures.

“Remus!”

Harry turned to see a bushy haired young woman standing in the doorway. She stopped short when she saw Harry. “I’m sorry, Remus. I didn’t realize you had someone with you. I’ll come back later.”

“No, Hermione, please,” Remus stood and gestured for her to enter. “Hermione, this is Harry Potter. Harry, this is Hermione Granger.”

Standing, Harry shook her hand. “It is nice to meet you, Miss Granger.”

Looking at Harry, Remus said, “Hermione is simply brilliant. Her work on behalf of the house-elves is amazing.”

Hermione flushed at Remus’ praise. “Thank you, Remus.”

“What did you need, Hermione?” Remus asked.

“I just wanted to get your opinion on this position paper I wrote,” Hermione said, “but I can come by later.”

“Not at all,” Remus said. “Harry won’t mind. His father and I were good friends and we’ve just been catching up. I’ll be happy to look this over. Would you mind taking Harry down to the canteen so he can get some coffee and I’ll read this?”

Harry looked Remus in confusion before he realized that this must be the girl with whom Remus wanted to set him up. Supressing a groan, Harry realized he should at least be polite to the girl. “Would you mind, Miss Granger?”

She blushed before replying, “Of course not, Mr Potter.”

“Please, call me Harry,” Harry said as he followed the young woman out of the department. He watched the young lady Remus thought would suit him. She was very animated and friendly. With her bushy hair and lack of make-up, she wasn’t beautiful, but Harry thought she was nice looking.

“Remus talks about you quite a bit,” Hermione admitted. “He mentioned last week that he didn’t know when you would be getting home.”

Harry nodded. “I’ve been in Brazil for several months, but I’ll be here in England for the next month or so.”

Hermione perked up and asked him about his travels. He learned that she and her parents enjoyed traveling together. The two had coffee together and an enjoyable conversation. Harry discovered that Hermione was a year older than him and had been out of Hogwarts for nine years now. She was quite brilliant and Harry could see how she and Remus would get along well, but he really wasn’t sure why Remus wanted to set him up with her. Harry didn’t really feel they had much in common.

When he mentioned how much he liked running in the morning, Hermione had made a small face and admitted that she didn’t like exercising that much. He also discovered that she loved to read, but didn’t like Quidditch. Harry enjoyed reading, but he loved flying. He played a lot of pick up Quidditch games with other Aurors. She was quite passionate about the rights of house-elves and as a Muggle-born she hated the Death Eaters. Listening to Hermione talk, he thought that she had a bit of tunnel vision when it came to house-elves.

“Do you know Draco Malfoy?” Harry asked as he realized the girl must have been in school with the other boy.

Hermione’s face stiffened. “Yes, he was at Hogwarts whilst I was. He’s a horrid person — hated me because I’m Muggle-born. He never lost the opportunity to insult and make fun of anyone he considered beneath him — which seemed to be most people. I see him prancing around the Ministry acting all contrite.”

“You don’t buy his ‘I didn’t realize what I was getting into’ excuse?”

“Please, he bragged for years about the ‘Dark Lord’ and how close his father and the ‘Dark Lord’ were,” Hermione explained. “There is no way he didn’t know what his father was doing.” Her eyes widened. “Are you investigating him?”

Silently cursing himself for being a bit too obvious, Harry shook his head. “I’m not officially assigned to an investigation right now. I’ve heard some curious things about him recently which made me wonder how he acted whilst he was at school.”

“He strutted around acting like he was better than everyone,” Hermione said scornfully. “He was so caught up in his Pureblood superiority. I don’t know how he thought he was better; he was a mediocre student and athlete. He had a group of followers — sycophants really. I don’t know what he’s doing now. I don’t understand how the Ministry didn’t punish him for his activities.”

Harry nodded. Hermione’s observations lined up with Harry’s own thoughts about Malfoy. “I don’t understand that either. Fudge was a huge part of the problem. He was outright corrupt and let many of the older Purebloods purchase their way out of punishment.”

She sniffed. “There is a tendency to favour Purebloods. It’s a lot better than it used to be, Madam Bones has allowed a few Muggle-borns on the Wizengamot and she seems to appoint people based on their abilities not their blood status.”

“I did hear that there were Muggle-borns on the Wizengamot,” Harry said.

“Do you have a seat?” Hermione asked curiously.

Harry nodded. “I have my family seat. My godfather has been managing my seat as well as his own. I try to attend a session when I’m in town.”

Hermione glanced down at her watch. “My goodness, I must get back to work.”

“Of course,” Harry said.

He accompanied her back Remus’ office. Remus by that time had read the report Hermione had given him and had some feedback for her. Harry tuned them out as they talked. While he didn’t believe in abusing house-elves, he wasn’t as passionate about them as Hermione appeared to be.

Once she left, Remus closed the door behind her. “What do you think?”

“She seems nice,” Harry offered noncommittally.

“I’m sure she wouldn’t mind going to the ball with you,” Remus said.

“I don’t need to take a date to the ball,” Harry said.

“She’s very clever and a good friend,” Remus said. “I think the two of you would have a lot in common. You’re both Muggle-borns…”

“I’m not a Muggle-born,” Harry interrupted.

“Close enough,” Remus brushed aside his excuse.

“No,” Harry was starting to become angry. “I was raised by magic-hating Muggles. That’s not the same as being a Muggle-born.”

“I just meant that you are both familiar with the Muggle world,” Remus said soothingly. “I know you didn’t get along with your Muggle family, but you know the Muggle world.”

“They weren’t my family,” Harry said angrily. “Sirius is my family. My parents who were a witch and wizard died for me. If they had lived I would have been raised in the wizarding world.”

“I know that,” Remus said in confusion. “I didn’t mean to dismiss your parents. They were some of my best friends.”

“If that was the case, you’d know I’m not Muggle-born,” Harry said shortly. “I’ll talk to you later.”

He strode out of the department. He’d visit Kingsley another day. As he reached the street, he started to feel a bit badly that he’d blown up at Remus. He wasn’t even sure exactly where that came from, he had nothing against Muggles or Muggle-borns.

Frowning, he wondered why exactly he’d reacted the way he did. He’d had people ask him if he was Muggle-born in the past because he was so familiar with the Muggle world and it never bothered him. He thought it was more that it came from Remus than anything else.

Deciding to walk it off a bit, he headed for the Thames. His relationship with Remus was very different than his relationship with Sirius. Sirius was the one who rescued him from his relatives’ house when he was younger and Sirius had always loved him unconditionally. He was a playmate, teacher, friend, and father-figure rolled into one.

Harry smiled as he thought about that long ago afternoon. It had been a typical day in the Dursley house. It was a cool autumn afternoon. Looking at the house, he could see Dudley was ensconced in front of the telly watching his favourite show. With a sigh of relief Harry pulled an apple from his pocket. Dudley had stolen his lunch today, so he was very hungry. After eating the apple, Harry wished he could have more water, but he couldn’t risk bringing a cup outside. Aunt Petunia would be very angry if he did. Likewise he couldn’t turn on the hosepipe because Aunt Petunia would notice and be upset.

He shrugged; he’d get some water from the tap before he went to bed. Grabbing the large rake, he started raking leaves from the back garden. It took him a while, but eventually he had three bags of leaves. He shivered a bit as it had become cooler as the sun went down. Glancing into the kitchen, he could see it was 5:30. He quickly put up the rake and secured the shed before stacking the bags of leaves next to the rubbish bins.

As he entered the kitchen, his aunt snapped, “Wash up then come down and set the table!”

He hurried to obey her. It wasn’t worth it not to. She could be mean if he talked back or didn’t do what she said quickly enough. Slipping into the bathroom, he washed his face and hands and drank some water from the tap before returning to the kitchen.

Aunt Petunia glared as him as he set the table. Hoping he wasn’t going to get into trouble he was very careful as he served dinner. He was so used to getting much smaller portions than his cousin that he didn’t really notice anymore. After diner he had to clear the table and wash the dishes. Aunt Petunia would come behind him and wipe down the counters. She didn’t trust him to do it correctly.

Harry finished his maths homework. He made sure to get a few wrong because Aunt Petunia was always upset if his answers were all correct. He was just heading to the sitting room to dust when the doorbell rang.

“Boy! Get the door!”

“Yes, Uncle,” Harry replied dutifully. Opening the door he found a man with longish curly black hair and friendly grey eyes. The man gasped, “Harry?”

Puzzled, Harry nodded. No one ever came to see him. The man fell to his knees and pulled Harry into a hug. It was surprising as no one had ever hugged him before, but it was nice. Normally Harry was nervous around strangers, but for some reason he wasn’t nervous around this man.

“Do you know who I am?” the man asked.

Regretfully, Harry shook his head. Thankfully, the man didn’t seem upset. Standing, he picked Harry up. “My name is Sirius Black. I am your godfather. I was your father’s best friend.”

Harry’s eyes widened. He’d always hoped that someone would come rescue him from his relatives, but he’d never really thought that would happen. He didn’t want to get too excited. Maybe this man, Sirius, just came to visit him.

“Are your aunt and uncle home?”

As Harry nodded, Aunt Petunia came to see what was taking so long. When she saw Sirius holding Harry, she gasped. “You!”

Harry looked over at his aunt in surprise. Did she know Sirius?

“What are you doing here? The letter promised that none of you freaks would bother us! Get out!”

By this time Vernon had joined them. His face grew very red when he spotted Harry held protectively in Sirius’ arms. “What is going on here?”

“Freaks?!” Sirius couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He looked again at the little boy in his arms. Getting past the amazing likeness to James and the brilliant green eyes that belonged to Lily, Sirius could see that Harry was very small for his age. He was thin and dressed in clothes that were way too big for him. He frowned; what had been going on here?

“That man promised that no one would visit,” Aunt Petunia said shrilly. She looked around nervously. What if one of the neighbours saw? “You need to leave!”

Sirius pushed his way into the house. He wasn’t going to have this conversation outside. Aunt Petunia gasped her outrage, but stepped back.

Ignoring Petunia and Vernon, Sirius set Harry down on the floor and knelt next to him. “Do you know about your parents?”

“I know they died in a car crash,” Harry offered. He didn’t want to mention the fact that they dumped him on his relatives.

“What? What have you been telling him?” Sirius asked in outrage as he jumped up to face Lily’s sister.

“Nothing!” Petunia sniffed. “I certainly wasn’t going to mention their unnaturalness. He doesn’t need to know anything about that world. Look what it did to my sister! Dead at twenty-one!”

“What world?” Harry demanded looking between the adults. This was something he’d never heard before.

“No!” Uncle Vernon yelled. “We swore when we took him in we’d put a stop to that rubbish, swore we’d stamp it out of him!” **

Harry looked confused, Sirius was furious. “He is a wizard! That is his birth right. You can’t just decide he can’t be one.”

“A wizard?” Harry looked up at Sirius with big eyes.

Sirius locked eyes with Harry and nodded. “You’re a wizard, Harry. So am I and your dad was as well. Your mother was a witch.”

“Enough!” Vernon yelled. “You need to leave. We agreed to take the boy, but you can’t come around.”

Looking between Harry and his relatives, Sirius knelt down again. “Harry, I know you don’t remember me, but I’ve known you since the day you were born. Would you like to come live with me?”

Harry’s heart leapt at the thought. No more Dursleys. He looked up at his aunt and uncle. He knew they didn’t want him, but he knew what to expect with them. He didn’t know Sirius, but he seemed really nice. “If I lived with you, could I have a real bedroom?”

“Of course,” Sirius said. “I’m renting a house right now and I found a two bedroom so I’d have room for you.”

The thought that someone took him into consideration when renting a house was shocking. Aunt Petunia would never do that. Harry didn’t know why, but he felt safe with Sirius. “Okay.”

“Fine,” Petunia yelled. “Take the little freak. Don’t expect us to take him back when you get tired of him.”

“He’s not a freak,” Sirius said in a hard voice. “He’s a little boy whom I will be thrilled to have live with me.”

That had been the best day of his young life Harry thought as he turned away from the Thames and started walking towards St Paul’s Cathedral. He’d always liked the building. He wasn’t exactly sure why as he wasn’t particularly religious, but he was drawn to the grandeur of the cathedral. He enjoyed listening to the choir. Subtly bypassing the queue with a little Confundus Charm, he dropped thirty pounds into the collection box before he walked almost halfway up the nave before slipping into a pew.

Closing his eyes, he realized he owed Remus an apology. He didn’t like that Remus found it so easy to dismiss his parents. Remus had always been more of a teacher than a friend. Sirius had been released from Azkaban in 1987 after Peter Pettigrew had been captured somewhere in Devon. After recuperating for a time, he immediately came to rescue Harry from his relatives. Remus didn’t enter their lives until Harry was almost eleven. When Sirius decided that having Harry attend Hogwarts was too big of a risk, Remus became one of his teachers.

Remus was a good teacher, if a bit strict. He never seemed to realize that Sirius had grown up and was perfectly capable of taking care of Harry. Remus found it hard to open up to people and he and Harry had never been especially close, but he’d found his match with Tonks. Unfortunately she’d died in the war so Remus was alone again, but now he had Teddy.

As he listened to the Choral Evensong, he relaxed. He would go visit Remus tomorrow and apologize for his rudeness, but he still wasn’t going to ask Remus’ protégé to the ball.

* * *

Harry surveyed the ballroom as he idly wondered if he could get away with leaving now. He’d caught up with Kingsley, spoken to Remus, and even greeted Madam Bones. He watched as Remus danced with Hermione. Apparently, when Harry had declined to invite the young lady, Remus had done so himself.

The ball was being held at Osterley Park, a grand estate not far from London. Harry rather liked the venue so in some ways that made up for him having to be there. He wasn’t entirely sure how they’d arranged this ball as the house was supposed to be closed in the evening and he didn’t think it was usually open for parties like this. He’d already walked around the park. It was very nice.

A movement caught Harry’s eye and he frowned slightly as he watched Draco Malfoy holding court in the far corner. Harry recognized most of them — Crabbe, Goyle, Nott, Zabini, and Parkinson had all followed Malfoy since their school days. He was only slightly surprised to see Astoria Greengrass fluttering around the edges of the group.

He noticed that several of the older Purebloods like Yaxley, Jugson, and Mulciber seemed to accept Draco as the natural successor to his father. Mentally, he cursed both Fudge and the wizarding world in general for not being tougher on former Death Eaters. Both he and Kingsley had advocated for automatic prison sentences for anyone bearing the Dark Mark, but they had been overruled. That was one of the things that led Harry to take the job with the International Aurors rather than stay in England.

Feeling a bit disgusted, Harry slipped out of the ballroom and into the gardens. There was a long well-lit veranda with a few benches and many of the party goers had spilled out onto it, but Harry followed the stairs that led into the garden itself. There were formal gardens with a maze on one side and a footpath that appeared to lead to a lake. Harry decided to walk down by the lake.

It was a lovely evening, a bit cool, but not cold. The waning moon provided enough light to easily follow the path. Harry enjoyed the fresh air and getting away from the competing perfumes and colognes that had filled the ballroom. As he walked further from the house, the music and sound of laughter faded away. He strolled over towards the garden lake.

Hopefully, he’d be able to leave soon. He really hated these sorts of things. One of the few good things had been the glare of hatred Malfoy had shot him when he entered the ballroom.

As he neared the lake, he noticed a young lady by the pond. Her cream-coloured gown stood out in the darkness of the night. She was sitting on one of the benches looking out over the lake. He didn’t recognize her, but that wasn’t overly surprising — he didn’t get out in society much.

As the moonlight fell over her, he caught his breath. She was beautiful. Her hair was an amazing combination of reds, golds, and other colours he couldn’t even name. She wore her hair piled on top of her head, secured with elaborately jewelled combs. He could see a diamond and emerald necklace glittering around her neck with matching earring dangling from her ears. While Harry wasn’t an expert on jewellery, he would guess she was wearing thousands of Galleons worth of jewellery which made it a bit surprising she was out here by herself.

When he neared the bench, he must have made some noise because she turned her head. She relaxed slightly when she caught sight of him, but remained on alert. Seeing her up close, he could see pain and hurt reflected in her large, luminous, brown eyes. He also detected the faint outline of an old bruise on her cheek.

An impulse to protect immediately rose up in him. A glance at her hands showed a large diamond and wedding band on her left hand. Damn! She was married. Where in Merlin’s name was her husband? He should be protecting her. Logically he knew that it was likely her husband was responsible for the pain and bruises, but hitting a woman never made sense to him.

“Good evening,” she said as she seemed to be assessing him and his intentions.

“Good evening,” he replied. “I’m sorry to disturb you, I was just trying to escape the noise and party.”

She smiled. “I quite understand. I did so myself.”

“It’s a beautiful park,” Harry commented as he gestured towards the Middle Lake. There was a small wooded island in the centre of the lake. A handful of ducks and swans slept around the edge of the pond. It would have made a perfect post card.

She nodded. “I walked along the gardens and the garden lake and thought I’d come down here to see the larger lake. I wish they’d lit the path a bit better. I am afraid I may have turned my ankle.”

She made a sweeping motion to the side of her skirt and Harry noticed a large blue stain on the cream coloured skirt. Frowning, he recalled that several of the women he’d seen were drinking a cocktail that same colour of blue.

When she realized he’d seen it, she blushed. He wondered why she didn’t simply vanish the stain. That was answered when she sighed. “This was one of the reasons I was walking in the park. I’ve been hoping I could perform wandless magic and vanish this stain, but alas I cannot.” Seeing his confused look, she coloured again and looked away. “My husband doesn’t allow me to have my wand when we are together.”

“May I?” Harry asked as he touched the handle of his wand.

She looked up and met his eyes as if assessing the danger. Slowly she nodded. He carefully drew his wand and cleaned up her gown before putting his wand away.

“Thank you,” she said simply.

“Not at all,” Harry said sincerely. “I would hate for you to feel uncomfortable if I could so easily fix it.” After pausing for a moment, he asked, “I don’t mean to be forward, but why didn’t your husband repair your dress?”

“He thought it was funny,” she was angrily. “It was one of his little tarts who spilled her drink on me.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Harry said awkwardly. Inwardly, he wondered how someone could be so cruel.

She smiled. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to complain. I’m Ginevra Malfoy.”

“Harry Potter,” Harry said. Her eyes widened when he said his name, but she managed to contain her reaction.

He shook his head. “I guess that explains why your husband is such a jerk.”

She laughed. “That it does.” She giggled again. “Sorry, most people aren’t usually so forthright about my husband. It is rather refreshing.”

Calming herself, she said, “I guess you would know better than most what my husband and his illustrious family are capable of. I realize this may make me sound like a horrible person, but thank you for taking Lucius out of my life.” She shivered. “Draco is a bad enough, but he’s nothing compared to his father.”

Harry nodded. “I’ve heard all about how Draco didn’t understand what he was getting into and how he has reformed.”

Ginny cursed, making Harry laugh to hear such language out of such a beautiful, well put-together woman. She shook her head. “Trust me, he knew exactly what he was doing.”

Nodding, Harry was impressed with her. She was nothing like the haughty gold digger portrayed by Susan and her friend. As he watched, she shifted slightly on the bench and he could see she was uncomfortable. Her earlier words came back to him.

“Mrs Malfoy, I’m not a healer, but I do know some basic healing spells. Would you like me to look at your ankle?”

“Please,” she replied. She raised the hem of her gown to reveal a swollen ankle that was starting to darken and bruise. It looked quite painful. She had already removed her shoes. He hadn’t noticed them earlier; they were sitting next to her on the ground.

He knelt down next to her and examined her ankle. Casting a diagnostic spell, he confirmed that it was sprained and not broken. He cast a numbing and analgesic spell on the ankle before binding it.

“That feels so much better,” Ginny said as she cautiously moved her foot. “Thank you. I was trying to figure out how I was going to get back up to the house.”

“May I assist you?” Harry asked courteously.

She blushed, staining her cheeks a pleasing pink colour. “Thank you.”

Reaching out and he took her hand and helped her up. She was smaller than he’d supposed, she only came up to his mid-chest. As he tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow, he noticed the subtle floral scent she wore. It was much more pleasing to him than some of the more overpowering scents favoured by many of the women at the party.

“I hadn’t heard that you were expected to attend the party,” Ginny said as they started making their way back up to the house. “I’m certain if my husband had known you would be here he would have been complaining all week.”

Harry laughed. “I would have happily spread the news of my attending the ball if I’d known it would upset him. I wasn’t entirely sure I was going to come. I just arrived back in the country earlier this week.”

“You are an International Auror?” Her inflection made the statement a question.

He nodded. “Yes, I joined the IA corps shortly after Voldemort’s defeat.”

Glancing down at her, he wanted to say something, but he didn’t know what. Apologize for not being there? He knew some people held him accountable for leaving the country after defeating Voldemort. Was she one of them?

To his surprise, she simply said, “I bet you have been to some interesting places.”

“Yes,” he said simply. “I’ve just returned from Brazil. I also spent some time in Argentina and Chile while I was there.”

“The Amazon?”

He laughed. “I spent two weeks traveling on the Amazon with some local wizards. It was fascinating.”

“I’m rather jealous,” she admitted as they slowly walked back up to the house. “When I was little, my parents had a book about the Amazon with lots of pictures of the animals and plants. I loved looking at the pictures. It was so amazing. I’ve always wanted to go there.”

He laughed. “I will admit it was brilliant. The rain forest is an amazing, but rather scary place. I even saw a jaguar in the wild.”

“Really?”

Nodding, Harry told her about the rain forest and the animals he’d seen. She was an appreciative audience.

“Ginny!”

A handsome couple were hurrying over to them. Harry recognized the red haired man as one of the Weasleys, the curse-breaker, he thought, but he didn’t recall the man’s name. The woman with him was stunningly beautiful with silvery blond hair and a concerned look on her face.

“Bill!” Ginny exclaimed as her brother hugged her.

“Are you okay?” Bill asked. “I was getting worried when I hadn’t seen you for a while.”

Grimacing, Ginny explained her injury to her brother. Kneeling down next to her, he lifted her gown slightly while she held onto the arm of the woman who Harry presumed was her sister-in-law.

“I bound it and cast a numbing spell, but she will need to see a real healer,” Harry volunteered.

“I’m sorry, Bill, this is Harry Potter. He rescued me out by the pond. Harry, this is my oldest brother Bill and his wife, Fleur.”

Bill nodded as he stood and shook Harry’s hand. “We’ve met. I don’t know if you remember me.”

“I do,” Harry admitted. “You have a set of twin brothers as well.”

Bill laughed. “Most people remember them.”

He sobered as he looked back at his sister. Harry could see the tightening of Bill’s lips when he saw the bruise on his sister’s face. Leaning over, Bill gently kissed her on the cheek.

“You look beautiful, Ginny.”

Ginny flushed slightly as she smiled up at her brother. “Thank you.”

While she hadn’t complained during the walk up here, Harry doubted she would be able to walk up the stairs leading to the ballroom. He could see Bill coming to that conclusion as well. Harry quickly realized that he wouldn’t be doing Ginny any favours if he accompanied her back into the ballroom.

Turning to Fleur, Harry said, “Mrs Weasley, may I accompany you back to the ballroom?”

“Oui, it would be an honour,” Fleur replied. Harry could read her gratitude in her eyes. He could only imagine what it must have been like for Ginny’s family to see her married to a monster like Malfoy.

Bill swung his sister up into his arms ignoring her protests and carried her up the stairs. Harry and Fleur followed at a more sedate pace. Malfoy was upon them as soon as they entered the ballroom.

“For God’s sake,” Malfoy hissed. “Put her down! What are you doing carrying her?”

Before Bill or Ginny could reply Kingsley approached. “Is there a problem?”

Bill answered over Malfoy’s dismissal. “My sister sprained her ankle,” he explained. “I was able to splint it, but she needs to see a healer.”

“Of course,” Kingsley said smoothly. “I will have our Auror’s healer look at her.”

Harry watched silently as Bill carried her into a small room off the ballroom. Fleur placed a hand on his arm. “Thank you.”

Nodding, Harry said, “Please tell Mrs Malfoy I hope she’s feeling better.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** Quote from pg 53 of Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone, electronic version


	3. Rehabilitation of the House of Malfoy

Ginny managed a smile for her mother as Bill set her down on the settee in the small drawing room. A moment later, a healer hurried in accompanied by Kingsley. She smiled gently at Ginny as she knelt down next to her.

“I’m Healer Moore. What happened, dear?”

“I was out walking,” Ginny explained, feeling a bit embarrassed by all of the attention. “The lane was rather dark and I fear I twisted my ankle.”

Nodding the woman quickly healed the ankle and handed Ginny a vial of anti-inflammatory potion. “This will take care of any swelling and pain you might have.”

“Thank you,” Ginny replied gratefully.

The healer and Kingsley withdrew, leaving Ginny with her family. Mrs Weasley hurried over and hugged her daughter, followed closely by Mr Weasley. Bill and Fleur sat on the sofa across from Ginny while Ron gave her a quick hug and retreated to the fireplace.

“Where is everyone?” Ginny asked.

A shadow crossed Mrs Weasley’s face. “Percy is here with a lovely young lady, Audrey, who he has been seeing lately. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to see you. Fred and George are not here, they are opening a shop in Hogsmeade and they’ve been spending quite a bit of time up there. They were sorry to miss you.”

Ginny frowned slightly. She wasn’t allowed to see her family very often, so she’d hoped to see all of her brothers tonight.

“Were you able to bring the children with you?” Mrs Weasley asked hopefully.

Ginny shook her head. “No, Draco wanted them to stay in the country. I’m hoping he will let me bring them for a visit a bit later in year.”

Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a set of photos that she handed to her mother. “I had these pictures done a few weeks ago.”

Mrs Weasley smiled as she looked at her oldest grandchildren. “Perseus is looking so handsome and Orion is getting so big. Arthur, look at Titania, she looks just like Ginny when she was little.”

“They are lovely, dear,” Mr Weasley said as he gazed down at his grandchildren. “I can’t believe how big the boys are. I do hope they are able to come visit us. Perseus had so much fun at the Burrow last year. Orion was fascinated by the gnomes.”

Ginny laughed. “Yes, the boys talked about that visit for months. They loved learning to swim and can’t wait to come back and go swimming at your house.”

“Damn, they look just like Malfoy,” Ron said in obvious displeasure. “Is he teaching them Unforgivables yet?”

“Ronald!”

“What?!”

Ginny glared at her brother, her fingers itching for her wand. “Those are my children you are talking about!”

His ears reddening slightly, Ron jumped as Bill slapped him on the back of the head. His mother was glaring at him and his father…well, his father was giving him a look that conveyed just how disappointed he was. Ron flushed further. “Sorry, I just hate the idea that Malfoy is the father of my niece and nephews.”

“I hate the idea that he is the father of my children,” Ginny replied evenly. “That doesn’t change the fact that he is. Perseus and Orion are good boys. They love to fly and play outside. Titania loves to chase after her older brothers. They are all good children. Draco has very little to do with them. I am doing the best I can seeing as I am raising my children with very little help and I’m unable to see my family more than a few times a year. I do not ever want to hear you talking about them like that again.”

Quailing under his sister’s glare, Ron muttered an apology. Ducking his head, he tried to blend into the furniture to avoid his father’s disappointed look and the anger in his brother’s eyes. He had very mixed feelings about his sister. While he loved her and wished her well, the fact that he’d gone to South Africa with Neville to celebrate graduating from Hogwarts and returned to find Ginny married to Malfoy was still difficult to understand.

He would admit he didn’t react well when he first found out. His father’s explanation was unbelievable — because they owed money Ginny had to marry Malfoy. Why hadn’t she done something? Why had she gone through the wedding? He didn’t know how to handle that revelation.

He’d yelled and screamed and threatened until Bill pointed out that he was just making things harder for his sister and his parents. It was a confusing and infuriating that his baby sister was married to the man who’d been a thorn in his side his whole time at Hogwarts. It was embarrassing and he never knew what to say to people who asked about the marriage.

Shaking off her irritation at her brother, Ginny enjoyed her visit with her parents and oldest brother. Ron headed out into the ballroom. Malfoy looked furious, but Ron decided to stay away from him rather than bait him as he may have done in the past.

Percy approached from the opposite side of the ballroom. “How is she?”

“She’s fine,” Ron said. “She sprained her ankle while she was out walking. The healer fixed her in no time.”

When Audrey approached Percy smiled at her and said to his brother, “You remember Audrey.”

Ron nodded. “Hello, Audrey.”

“Hi, Ron.” Glancing at Percy she asked, “Is your sister okay?”

Percy nodded uneasily.

“Do you want to say hi?”

Looking down at the floor, the tips of Percy’s ears reddened. “I don’t know that she would want to see me.” Looking up at his brother and girlfriend, he admitted, “I always feel so guilty when I see her. She’s never blamed me or said anything, but I feel so horrible that my actions are a part of what landed her in such an unhappy alliance.”

“I think she’d still like to see you,” Ron said. “She asked where everyone was.”

Before Percy could respond, Ginny emerged from the drawing room where she’d been visiting with her parents. She spotted her brothers and headed their direction.

“Percy!” Ginny exclaimed. She held out both her hands. He took her hands and kissed her on the cheek.

“You look lovely,” Percy said sincerely. Gesturing to his girlfriend, he said, “Ginny, this is my girlfriend, Audrey. Audrey, this is my sister, Ginny.”

Smiling Ginny shook Audrey’s hand. “It is nice to meet you.”

She spent some time becoming acquainted with her brother’s new girlfriend before dancing with each of her brothers. She loved the time she was able to spend with each of them, but she had to admit she spent more time with Bill. They’d always had a special relationship and she adored her oldest brother.

The only dark cloud on the horizon was Malfoy. After his outburst when she’d arrived in the ballroom, he’d played the concerned husband. He spent some time charming her mother and danced with Ginny several times. She danced with each of her brothers and her father.

Thankfully her husband had plenty of women vying to dance with him so she was able to enjoy herself without him hovering over her. She was surprised to see Susan Bones mingling with Draco’s group. The girl who’d spilled her cocktail on her, Astoria, was busy either glaring at Ginny or fawning over Draco. Ginny wanted to tell her that she was welcome to him, but of course she didn’t.

* * *

Ginny woke early, relieved that Malfoy had not joined her during the night. After showering and making certain her makeup was impeccable, she headed down to breakfast. As she reached the first floor landing, Draco was heading upstairs. It was obvious that he’d just arrived home. He was wearing the same clothes as the previous night although they now looked quite rumpled. Idly she wondered with whom he’d spent the night as she didn’t smell Pansy’s overwhelming perfume.

Towering over her, he sneered at her. “I haven’t forgotten that little stunt you pulled last night.”

“It wasn’t a stunt,” she retorted as she pulled away from the overwhelming smell of Firewhiskey on his breath. “As you seem to be otherwise occupied, I will be spending the day with my family.”

“Your purpose in this marriage is to rehabilitate my image,” Draco growled as he grabbed her arm and shoved her up against the wall. “Madam Bones was telling me last night that she was considering lifting some of the restrictions on my business ventures. You have served that purpose quite nicely. You’ve even provided me with an heir and two spares — although the girl is a bit of a disappointment. Don’t overestimate my continued need for you. I can get rid of you very easily.”

Shaken, Ginny tried not to let her fear show on her face. She must not have succeeded for he laughed.

“Maybe I should bring the boys into the city. It should be time for them to get to know their father.”

Fear froze her into place as he laughed and ambled up the stairs. She couldn’t let him get his hands on her sweet boys. So far he’d ignored them and she was thrilled to keep it that way, but if he started indoctrinating the boys…she couldn’t stand if they became like their father and grandfather.

She continued on her way downstairs, her mind racing. How could she keep her children safe? Narcissa was already sitting down to breakfast when she arrived. Glancing over at her mother-in-law, she wondered if Narcissa would help her protect her boys. Even as the thought crossed her mind, she knew it would never happen.

As far as she could tell, Narcissa had been very much in love with Lucius and she still mourned his loss. She turned a blind eye to his many infidelities, she didn’t seem to mind playing second fiddle to Voldemort, and she’d encouraged her son to live up to his father’s legacy. It was baffling to Ginny who honestly couldn’t find any redeeming qualities in her late father-in-law. He’d made it quite clear that once she’d given Draco an heir, Draco was expected to share her. Shuddering slightly, she was glad that threat had not come to pass.

After greeting Narcissa and helping herself to some eggs and toast, Ginny ate mechanically. It could have been coal for all she was tasting it. Her mind was racing. How could she prevent Draco from corrupting her sons? Her first thought was to talk to her family, but she quickly dismissed that idea. If they could stand up to Draco, she wouldn’t be married to him.

“What are your plans for today, Ginevra?” Narcissa asked.

“I thought I would visit my parents,” Ginny replied. “I will be returning to Wiltshire soon and I would like to spend some time with them.”

Narcissa nodded. “An owl came earlier from the children. Draco put it on his desk if you would like to read it.”

Ginny managed to restrain her first impulse to jump up and find the letter and continued to eat her breakfast. She knew spontaneous or impulsive behaviour was frowned upon in the Malfoy household. Early in her marriage Draco had taken great delight in making sure she learned proper behaviour. Those lessons were not easily forgotten.

After finishing her breakfast, Ginny took her leave from her mother-in-law and headed into Draco’s study. It had been Lucius’s study before Draco started using it. She hated the heavily panelled walls, dark heavy curtains, and dark furniture. In another room it might be considered elegant, but Ginny always thought the decor was touched with evil. Rumour had it that the Dark Lord had used this room when he’d stayed with the Malfoys.

She easily found the letter from her children. Perseus had written most of the note, but Orion had also carefully written his name. Titania had drawn a picture for her on which Perseus had written Titania’s name. She smiled as she read the note. Leaning back in the chair, she studied her daughter’s picture trying to decide exactly what she’d drawn. She thought perhaps it was a duck, but she wasn’t entirely sure.

Pulling out a fresh sheet of parchment, she wrote a note to the children telling them all about the house she’d visited. She talked about the ducks and the pond, knowing the children would like that. As she signed the note, she thought she should get a picture from the night before. She knew there were photographers at the ball. Titania loved seeing pictures of her mother all dressed up.

As she stood, she caught sight of a folded piece of parchment that was on the edge of the fireplace. Draco had probably thrown it towards the fire. He had a bad habit of not hitting the fire and then yelling at the elves for littering. Thinking to save an elf unearned punishment, she picked up the note.

_Draco,_

_We’ve been travelling quite a bit this summer. I made a side trip to Durmstrang. It is an excellent school and it still holds our beliefs dear. Hogwarts has deteriorated so much in past decades. I would strongly urge you to send your boys to Durmstrang. It doesn’t matter so much with the girl, but the boys need to be properly educated._

_Kazakhstan is lovely this time of year. Your uncle and I have been doing a lot of skiing in the mountains around Almaty. We’ve met a lot of like-minded friends. You should come for a visit and meet our friends. They would love to meet you._

_AD_

Ginny’s hand trembled as she re-read the note. Looking around to make sure she wasn’t observed, she threw another piece of parchment into the fire and pocketed Draco’s note. This was proof that he was continuing to work with his Uncle Rodolophus. As she sent her note to her children, she wondered what to do with Draco’s note.

The safest thing would be to destroy it. If he knew she was even thinking of working against him he wouldn’t hesitate to kill her, of that she had no doubt, but she couldn’t let him turn their children into miniature versions of him.

* * *

Nervously, Ginny knocked on the door of Shell Cottage. She’d spent quite a bit of time at her brother’s house the summer after the war, but she hadn’t been there in many years.

Fleur opened the door. “Ginny!”

Surprise graced her face, but she embraced her sister-in-law and let her inside. “I’m zo glad you came.”

“I’m sorry to come without an invitation,” Ginny said.

“Don’t be silly,” Bill said as he entered the kitchen. Pulling his sister into a big hug, he said, “You are always welcome in our house.”

“Thank you,” Ginny said.

“Is something wrong?” Bill asked as he looked down at his sister.

She looked up at him, tears swimming in her eyes. “I need help and I’m not sure exactly where to turn.”

“I weel go check on zee children,” Fleur said giving the siblings privacy.

Once the door shut behind Fleur, Bill gestured for Ginny to sit down at the kitchen table. “What can I do for you, love?”

“I know this is probably incredibly…poor manners, but can you get a hold of Harry Potter? I need to speak to him if possible. I believe he may be able to help me.”

Raising his eyebrows, Bill nodded and headed for the fireplace. Ginny let her attention wander while Bill carried on a conversation. She prayed she was doing the right thing — she had to do something.

After a rather intense conversation, Bill stood back. “He’s coming through.”

Ginny stood as Harry came through the Floo. She watched him as he shook hands with her brother. He was very handsome. Today he was dressed casually in a t-shirt and faded blue jeans. When he turned to face her, his incredible green eyes seemed to hold her in place.

“Mrs Malfoy,” Harry said as he bowed over her hand. “I understand you wished to speak with me.”

Ginny nodded as she swallowed nervously. Her eyes darted over to her brother and he took her hint. Kissing her on the cheek, Bill said, “I will go check how Fleur is doing.”

Once Bill left, Ginny asked Harry to sit down at the table with her. “Mr Potter, I’m sorry to bother you, but I didn’t know where to turn.”

“What can I do for you?”

Taking a deep breath, Ginny said, “I believe you know the circumstances of my marriage.”

She looked over at him and Harry nodded. She continued, “I’ve honoured my marriage and kept my part of the bargain for almost eight years. My husband usually stays in London with his whores and I stay at home with the children. Whilst I have no respect for my husband, I love my children and I’m doing my best to raise them properly. He has very little to do with the children, so they haven’t been exposed to his ridiculous blood status prejudices.”

Blinking back tears, she took a minute to calm herself. She was very grateful to Mr Potter for sitting quietly and letting her tell her story at her pace. “I don’t know much about Malfoy’s business dealings. I’m not even entirely sure how the family made their money.” She laughed a bit ruefully. “I don’t want to know too much as I’m certain it was extremely distasteful.”

“Trust me, you are better off not knowing,” Harry said.

Ginny nodded. “Draco came home this morning…he was very upset with me. Claimed I was calling attention to myself and putting him in a bad light.” She shrugged. “I’m used to his contempt, but this morning he said that I’ve served my purpose in our marriage. I’ve helped to rehabilitate his reputation and provided him with an heir and a spare. He claimed he could get rid of me in a way that wouldn’t raise suspicion. Even worse, he threatened to bring my boys into the city so they can learn from him.”

Wordlessly Harry handed her a handkerchief. She took it and wiped away her tears. “I can’t let him corrupt my children. This morning I was in his study reading notes from my children. I found this note in the fireplace. Draco has a bad habit of throwing notes into the fireplace and not hitting the fire. He normally punishes some random elf for his mistake. I thought to save some elf from punishment until I read the note.”

She handed Harry the note. He read it through. “So he is in touch with his uncle.”

Ginny nodded. “I’ve always suspected he was, but of course he and his mother deny it. They try to not talk about things in front of me.”

“AD is Antonin Dolohov?” Harry asked.

“I believe so,” Ginny said. “They always thought of him as a ‘dear family friend’. I believe he visited one time while I was there. I wasn’t allowed out of my room except at certain times. I originally thought it must have been Lestrange, but from some of the things I overheard I think it was actually Dolohov.” She shivered. “The stories I’ve heard about both of them scare me. After my daughter was born, Narcissa mentioned that Antonin might be able to arrange a suitable marriage for her. I shudder to think who they think might be appropriate. I was able to talk them out of it, but I think they still are keeping that in mind — she’s only three.”

Looking Harry straight in the eye, she said, “I am terrified at the thought of betraying my husband. He would not hesitate to kill me, but if I have the chance to get him out of our lives I will risk it.”

“I understand you are in a bad position,” Harry said. “I will do my best to see that you and your children are protected. When are you planning to return to Wiltshire?”

“The day after tomorrow,” Ginny replied. “That’s the plan at least.”

“Does your husband know where you are?”

“He knows I’m visiting family,” Ginny explained, “but I didn’t tell him whose house I was going to visit.”

Nodding, Harry pushed open the door to the living room. Ginny took a deep breath to calm her nerves as she heard Harry talking to her brother. Ignoring them for now, she stepped towards the windows. Her brother’s house was close to the water. She loved that about his home. She idly wondered if she could arrange a beach holiday for her children — they would really enjoy it.

Stepping back into the kitchen, Harry said, “I’ve spoken to your brother. He says that Draco doesn’t usually have someone follow or track you, is that your experience as well?”

She nodded. He continued, “Bill has enough wards so if Malfoy does send someone here, he wouldn’t be able to tell if you were here or not, but I’ve also cast some spells to notify me if someone comes to check up on you. I would like you to come over to my godfather’s house. I have some questions to ask you and it would be better to ask you there.”

Seeing the concern on her face, Harry hastened to reassure her that Sirius would be home as well. Cautiously she nodded. After telling Bill their plan, Harry extended his arm and Side-Along Apparated her to his godfather’s house in London.

Sirius Black’s house was much nicer and brighter than the Malfoy townhouse. Ginny blushed under Sirius’ attention when Harry introduced her, but she found she liked the older man. He was much kinder than she expected based on his reputation as Harry’s teacher and protector. The three of them retired to Sirius’ study.

Ginny was honestly surprised to discover how many details she recalled about her husband’s business dealings. Harry was very patient and prompted her when she faltered. After nearly two hours, they had run out of questions.

“Thank you, Mrs Malfoy,” Harry said. “The information will be very helpful.”

Ginny relaxed into her chair slightly and picked up the tea cup in front of her. “I hope so.”

“What are your plans?” Harry asked.

“I will be returning to Malfoy Manor in two days,” Ginny explained. “Draco is negotiating something; I don’t know the details, but he hopes it will help him with Madam Bones. He wants me on hand in case there are dinners to attend. The old Purebloods have no problem with him sleeping with anyone he wants, but it isn’t done to bring anyone except your wife to dinner.”

Sirius sat forward. “Do you know what he is negotiating?”

Ginny shrugged. “I don’t know. For obvious reasons, my husband does not confide in me. He’s been working on Madam Bones for quite some time and hopes that whatever he is doing will give him access to his vaults.”

“That is interesting,” Harry said after glancing at his godfather. “I will have to check into that.”

The three made small talk whilst they finished their tea. Sirius asked after her children and Ginny was happy to talk about them.

“It would be nice to introduce them to Harry's godson, Teddy,” Sirius said. “After all, they are second cousins. It would be nice for them to meet.”

Ginny smiled. “It would be lovely. My children have limited exposure to other children. They are permitted to play with my brother’s children, but it is not often. As you know, my sister-in-law is part Veela and Draco can’t decide if that is acceptable or not. I believe he was disappointed to discover that Veela is not synonymous with whore.”

Harry laughed. “I can only imagine.”

Once he’d escorted Ginny back to Shell Cottage, Harry immediately Apparated to the Ministry. He would have that conversation with Kingsley now. He found the man in his office reviewing files.

“Harry!” Kingsley smiled when he caught sight of the younger wizard. Standing, he walked around his desk and held out his hand. “It’s great to see you.”

Harry smiled and shook Kingsley’s hand. “Thank you. Sorry for just dropping in on you, but I’ve come across some information I would like to run by you.”

“Of course,” Kingsley replied as he re-took his seat and gestured for Harry to sit down.

“I’ve heard rumours from several corners that Bones is considering pardoning Malfoy. Please tell me it isn’t true.”

“I wish I could, my friend. I have argued until I’m blue in the face. Many of the younger witches have fallen for his tortured victim routine and believe he’s suffered enough — I believe your old girlfriend is part of that crowd.”

“I received that message,” Harry said, disgruntled. “I can’t believe anyone would fall for that. He’s marked with the Dark Mark — you don’t get that accidentally or even against your will. Old Tom was many things, but he didn’t accept those not totally committed to him. Surely Bones know this.”

“She does, but she always has an eye on the political side of things. The young Purebloods have rallied behind Malfoy. Unfortunately his poor wife has fulfilled her part of the bargain a bit too well — she’s rehabilitated his image and provided him with an heir.”

“Please, he spends most of his time whoring in London. He couldn’t make it more obvious if he tried that he coerced that poor girl into marriage.”

“He does, but you know the old Pureblood mentality. He’s perfectly able to sleep around and do as he likes as long as he makes a nice family portrait with his wife. The fact that her family is filled with actual war heroes helps his image.”

“It can’t be that simple.”

“It’s not,” Kingsley replied. He glanced at the open door and with a wave of his wand shut the door and cast a few privacy spells.

Harry raised an eyebrow at his former mentor.

Kingsley explained, “Amelia has been under pressure to ‘put all of this mess behind us’ from the beginning, but she’s held strong. About a year ago, Malfoy found her weakness. Amelia has been trying to find a sponsor to fund a new spell damaged ward at St Mungo’s. She lost most of her family to spells no one could reverse. Draco somehow discovered this and offered to provide the funds, but of course he needs his vaults freed to truly help. He’s been working on her and he’s done it masterfully. He provides enough money that it seems like it may happen and runs out in the end. She’s ready to release his vaults in order to have that ward funded. I don’t know what he plans to do once his vaults are released. I’m damn sure it isn’t to fund a hospital ward.”

Harry frowned. “It can’t be that simple. Why didn’t she try to raise the funds or ask for help?”

Kingsley shrugged. “You know the old guard. She didn’t want to be seen as needy — even though she was needy. I think the war affected her more than she wants to let on. Amelia lost most of her family and her fiancé to the war. Susan is putting pressure on her to pardon Draco and I know Amelia doesn’t want to disappoint her. Draco has really done an excellent job in selling the ‘I didn’t know what my father got me into’ story. He claims that he did mistakenly believe in the Dark Lord’s ideals, but had no idea the Death Eaters were really killing and torturing. That’s another false idea the younger crowd is putting forward — it was only a few of the older, hard core members that held with the killing and torturing.”

Harry snorted. “What, the rest were there for a book club?”

“If they thought people would believe it, they would sell it.” Kingsley shook his head. “The Death Eaters who were killed wiped out a lot of the older families and they don’t want to lose the heirs to those families if they can avoid it. It’s so much easier to blame it on Daddy and plead ignorance. After all, their parents got away with pleading coercion after the first war.”

“Kill them all,” Harry said in disgust. “They didn’t know what was happening — I’ve fought Malfoy, Nott, Yaxley — I can’t even remember how many of them.”

“I know. I’ve been happy to share memories and stories with those willing to listen. Luna Lovegood over at the _Quibbler_ has been publishing some of my stories describing the actions of this younger generation. _The Quibbler_ has become a lot more respectable since Luna took over and steered it away from those made up animals her father favoured. She was actually a good friend of the young Mrs Malfoy.”

“I will have to catch up on my reading.”

* * *

“Mr Potter? Healer Hale will see you now.”

“Thank you,” Harry replied as he entered a nicely appointed, but not overly opulent office. The healer he’d come to meet was an older man with greying hair and a pleasant disposition.

“Mr Potter, it is a pleasure to meet you.” Healer Hale extended his hand. “I am Greg Hale.”

“Nice to meet you, sir.”

“My secretary told me this has something to do with the proposed new ward, is that correct?”

“Yes, sir. I’ve been told that Draco Malfoy has agreed to sponsor the new ward hoping to gain favour with Madam Bones.”

“That sounds likely,” Healer Hale admitted. “I don’t know Mr Malfoy’s exact motivation, but altruism is certainly not it. He originally came to me about eighteen months ago with an offer to underwrite the cost of adding on a new spell damage unit. I was quite excited by the offer as we’ve needed a unit like that for several years. The damage that wizards manage to inflict on each other can be horrific.

“The initial planning session revealed the fact that Mr Malfoy wanted to do this on the cheap with an emphasis on beautiful rooms and amenities rather than actually providing money for the research needed. He has to date paid very little money. I’d have to check my records, but I believe the total amount is less than five thousand Galleons.”

“How much money does opening a unit like that require?” Harry asked curiously.

Healer Hale sighed. “I was hoping to open a twenty bed unit. To open such a unit, it would cost approximately two point eight million Galleons. It is around one hundred and forty thousand Galleons per bed.”

Harry whistled. “I didn’t realize it was that expensive.”

“Nor did Mr Malfoy,” Healer Hale said dryly. “He wants to donate a few thousand Galleons and have his family name on the ward. I have been pressing him lately as I have the plans approved and a commitment from a magical construction team. If I can get the funds, I can break ground tomorrow.”

Harry nodded slowly. “May I use your Floo connection for a moment?”

“Certainly,” Healer Hale showed him to the Floo. Harry returned to the office a few moments later holding a certified check. “This is a certified Gringotts’ check for three million Galleons. Go ahead and break ground. My only request is that you return Mr Malfoy’s money and not use his name for the unit. I don’t require my name on the ward nor do I wish to be highlighted in any promotion, however you may reveal that I provided the money if you are asked.”

Healer Hale took the check with a shaking hand. “Merlin, Mr Potter. Thank you, so much. I didn’t expect…”

“I realize that,” Harry replied. “I feel badly that I didn’t think to inquire if you had any needs before this.”


	4. Cousins

Ginny woke with a gasp of pain. The events of the previous evening returned to her. Draco was furious. Potter had underwritten the entire cost of the ward Draco had hoped to use as leverage with Madam Bones. Ginny was thankful that Draco was simply furious with the situation and hadn’t even considered that she may have pointed Harry in the right direction.

Dragging herself out of bed, she gingerly wrapped an arm around her abdomen. She was pretty sure she had some broken ribs. After her shower and downing the potions left for her, Tinks, Narcissa’s elf, came and wrapped her ribs.

“Thank you,” Ginny said gratefully.

Tinks nodded silently. Ginny imagined the elf had quite a bit of experience healing injuries. After checking her appearance in the mirror, Ginny made her way downstairs. Narcissa and Draco were already at breakfast and to her dismay Ginny noticed Ted Nott and Blaise Zabini had joined them. Narcissa was the only one to greet her. Ginny took some toast from the sideboard and quietly sat down.

“Do you have any idea how Potter learned about my plan?” Draco was asking.

“I don’t know, could that Bones girl have told him?” Ted asked.

“No, Susan and Astoria were both outraged on my behalf,” Draco smirked.

“As far as I can tell he visited Shacklebolt who was happy to spill what he knew,” Blaise said. He shook his head. “A blood traitor shouldn’t be in such a position within the Ministry. We’ve been trying to put pressure on Bones to get rid of Shacklebolt, but she’s been holding firm on that point.”

“Do you know that healer had the audacity to return the money I’d already given him?”

“Where the hell did Potter come up with three million Galleons?” Ted asked.

“The Potter fortune was vast even before he defeated the Dark Lord,” Narcissa sniffed. “He was rewarded for his luck and my degenerate cousin has helped him increase his fortune.”

Draco suddenly seemed to realize Ginny had joined them. “Your brother knows him, right? I noticed him talking to Bill. Find some reason to arrange an introduction. I need to know if this was his end game or if he’s coming after me.”

“I’m sure he wouldn’t mind bedding her,” Ted laughed as he looked her up and down. “If she’s nice enough to him, he’ll be sure to talk to her.”

“Ginevra is a Malfoy now, she will not be put out like a common whore,” Narcissa said sharply. Looking over Ginny as though assessing her, she said, “Potter’s godson is related to your children. Contact Potter or Black and see if you can arrange a get together. It would be more appropriate for you to contact Black; he is the head of the House of Black. See what you can discover about Potter’s plans.”

Ginny looked between the four of them. “How will I discover his plans? Surely you don’t think he’ll share them with me.”

“No, but he’s a man. They like bragging,” Narcissa said dismissively. “Flirt with him, allow him to believe you are interested in him. If you need to you could go to dinner with him. He will probably want to rub it in that he stole our moment of glory.”

* * *

“Mummy!”

A wave of relief swept over her as her children rushed over to hug her. “Hello, my loves.”

Perseus and Orion hugged her tightly. Ginny barely managed to stifle a moan of pain.

“Are you okay, Mummy?” Perseus asked in concern. Ginny flushed, she realized he could probably see the tell-tale signs of Draco’s abuse.

“I’m fine, love. I’m so happy to see all of you. I’ve missed you so much!”

Titania wrapped her chubby little arms around Ginny’s neck. “I wiked the pretty picture, Mummy. You wooked so beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Ginny hugged her tightly kissing her on top of the head. Standing, she led the children into the house. “I have some very exciting news. We’re going to London for a week.”

Apprehensive silence followed this announcement. Ginny hurried to explain. “Your father is going on a trip so we will be staying in the townhouse in London. We are also going to see Grandma and Grandpa Weasley while we are traveling.”

After exchanging a look with his younger brother, Perseus asked carefully, “Father won’t be there?”

“No, love. Father won’t be there, but your Grandmother Narcissa will be there some of the time.”

“Okay,” Perseus brightened. While Narcissa wasn’t the warmest person in the world, she wasn’t as scary as their father.

* * *

Ginny exited the car that Lord Black had sent for her and her children. Grimmauld square was rather run down and scary looking, but before she could worry about it the front door to Number twelve, Grimmauld Place opened.

“Mrs Malfoy, welcome to Grimmauld Place.”

“Thank you, Lord Black,” Ginny replied formally.

His eyes twinkling, Sirius bent over her hand before turning to the children. He held out his hand to Perseus. “Master Malfoy, it is an honour to meet you.”

Straightening up proudly, Perseus shook the older wizard’s hand as he’d been taught. “Thank you, sir. May I present my brother, Orion, and my sister, Titania?”

Sirius shook Orion’s hand as well and kissed Titania’s hand. Titania giggled and Sirius winked at her. “Welcome to my family home.”

Harry and Sirius instantly put the children at ease. The children were soon laughing and playing a noisy game of Exploding Snap. Ginny sat on a couch and watched them. It was sad how well and easily the men had connected to the children with just a bit of effort on their part. Draco had never shown the slightest interest in getting to know his own children. While she was grateful for his lack of interest, she wished they had a positive male role model to look up to.

A snowy white owl swooped into the room and Titania squealed. “Birdy, pretty birdy!”

Harry smiled down at her and knelt next to her holding out his arm. The owl landed gracefully on his arm. “This is Hedwig.”

Titania tentatively reached out a hand to the owl. Harry nodded and showed her how to gently pet the owl. Ginny was quite impressed with the owl’s patience. After a moment, Harry said, “She needs to go sleep now.”

“Night, night birdy,” Titania said sweetly.

The owl hooted softly as if responding to her before heading upstairs.

Sirius glanced over at his godson for a moment before nodding to some unspoken communication. Looking over at Perseus, he said, “I can do a really cool trick. Do you want to see?”

The boy nodded eagerly. As the children watched, Sirius transformed into a large black dog. Titania’s eyes went wide while the boys gasped. After a moment, he changed back into himself. “That is Padfoot, my Animagus form. Do you know what an Animagus is?”

“It’s a person who can turn into an animal!” Perseus shouted excitedly. “That is so cool!”

“Thank you,” Sirius replied laughingly. “How would you kids like to go out back with me and play with Padfoot?”

Titania was too overwhelmed to say anything, but two pairs of pleading eyes looked over at Ginny beseechingly. “Please, Mummy! May we?”

Ginny laughed. “Of course. Please behave and remember, he is still Lord Black.”

Once Sirius had shepherded the children outside, Harry sat down in the chair near Ginny. His eyes roamed over her face and Ginny could feel her face heat up as he catalogued the bruises she’d so carefully hidden.

“I am so sorry that he took my actions out on you.”

Ginny shrugged with a slight smile. “Draco is always looking for any provocation. I was glad you were able to foil his plans.”

“What does he believe you are going to do here?” Harry asked carefully.

Settling back into the chair, Ginny replied, “He wants to know what your plans are as far as he is concerned. He doesn’t know if this was a one-time thing or if you are going to go after his business. His friend, Blaise Zabini, is his contact at the Ministry and he wasn’t able to discover anything.”

Dropping her gaze, Ginny blushed. “Narcissa had the idea to contact Lord Black and try to connect with your godson. Draco told me he doesn’t care if I have to seduce you; he wants to know what is happening.”

Harry’s eyes flickered over her and Ginny’s breath caught in her throat. She couldn’t deny she found the man incredibly attractive, but she wouldn’t break her marriage vows. While Draco had given his permission, she was certain he wouldn’t hesitate to use it against her if she did.

“I surmised as much from the letter you sent to Sirius,” Harry admitted. “We will spend a few days together. Teddy is coming over tomorrow. I hope you don’t mind, but his grandmother, Andromeda, would like to meet you and the children. As you probably know she was disowned when she married Ted Tonks because he was a Muggle-born.”

Ginny smiled. “Based on the few disparaging comments my mother-in-law has made, I believe I would enjoy meeting her.”

Harry laughed. “Andromeda and I thought perhaps going to the aquatic centre would be fun. Teddy has been taking swimming lessons recently. I wasn’t sure if your children knew how to swim.”

“They do. My parents have a swimming hole on their property and I taught them to swim last summer. Titania has some work to do, but she won’t be left behind.”

“Brilliant,” Harry smiled. “I will let Andromeda know.”

“Will Mr Lupin be there?” Ginny asked. “I met him briefly, but my father and oldest brother, Bill, always speak highly of him.”

“I’m not certain,” Harry admitted with a slight frown. “Remus leaves a lot of Teddy’s day to day care up to Andromeda. Of course, Sirius consulted him when we received your letter and he agreed that Teddy could meet your children.”

“Did you grow up here?” Ginny asked looking around.

Harry shook his head. “After Sirius rescued me from my rotten relatives, I spent most of my childhood in Scotland. My grandparents had a cottage in the highlands and that is where Sirius and I lived. When the war started heating up and Dumbledore reformed the Order of the Phoenix, he asked Sirius to reopen this house. It was a disaster when we first arrived. Sirius had to hire a Magical Abatement company. Once his parents died, the house fell into disrepair. There was an awful house-elf who honestly had gone round the twist. He hadn’t cleaned in years.”

“Sounds horrid.”

“It was,” Harry agreed. “I was very busy training and studying so Sirius wouldn’t let me come down until it had been decontaminated. Once I arrived, the elf helped Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius get a hold of me. Sirius rescued me, but it took him several days to find me.” He shivered with the memory. “Because he betrayed Sirius’ heir, the elf killed himself. We hired two new elves and they were more than happy to help us clean out the house and restore the House of Black to full glory.”

Ginny started when he mentioned his captivity. She’d forgotten for a moment who she was talking to and what he’d been through. He’d defeated the Dark Lord a month shy of his eighteenth birthday. The differences between him and her husband couldn’t have been more startling.

“It’s lovely,” Ginny said with a shy smile. “I grew up in Devon in a ramshackle old house that looks like it’s held up with magic. The heart of the house is my mum’s huge kitchen. I always think of her in the kitchen, she is one of the best cooks in the world. The house looks crazy, there are different levels and I think my parents simply added a new room on with every child. My youngest brother, Ron, ended up with the room near the attic. I was always glad I didn’t have to climb all those stairs.”

“That sounds great,” Harry said with a smile. “I’ve had some of your Mum’s cooking. She would always send a huge basket with your father or brothers when they came to an Order meeting. I remember her divine treacle tart. I’ve still not found one as good as hers.”

Ginny laughed. “She would be thrilled that she made such an impression on you.”

“I have to say I’m a bit jealous that you went to Hogwarts. Sirius always told such amazing stories about the school and the friends he made there.”

“Why didn’t you attend?”

Harry shrugged. “Sirius and Professor Dumbledore decided it was too dangerous. There had been several threats against me and there was an attempt to kidnap me when I visited Diagon Alley, so I was educated at home.”

“That’s too bad. One of my first memories is going to King’s Cross to see my brothers off to school.” Her smile faltered. “Unfortunately, Hogwarts did not live up to my expectations. My first year…my first year was awful. I had four older brothers at school and they didn’t want anything to do with me. All year I heard ‘Go away, Ginny.’ I had trouble making friends — I was very shy and my roommates made fun of my cast offs. I withdrew. I didn’t realize it at the time, but Lucius Malfoy had slipped an enchanted diary into my cauldron. As the year went on I lost more and more time, I would wake up and not know what happened for the past day.

“That was scary enough, but then some of my schoolmates ended up Petrified. The Chamber of Secrets had been reopened. There was talk of closing the school. Professor Dumbledore was even removed as Headmaster for a period of time. My illustrious father-in-law was behind that idea.

“Finally, I was able to resist the diary long enough to go to Professor McGonagall. I couldn’t actually tell her much, but she somehow broke the enchantment. Those who had been Petrified recovered and Professor Dumbledore was returned to the school, but I felt so tainted. Professor Dumbledore explained that I was enchanted to do the bidding of Tom Riddle, but he didn’t explain anything else. I discovered years later who Tom Riddle actually was.”

“Lord Voldemort,” Harry said softly.

She nodded. “My father-in-law was happy to share that with me after I moved into their townhouse. I felt so betrayed. Professor Dumbledore should have told me.”

“He really should have told you. I didn’t realize it was you who received the diary.”

“You knew about the diary?”

“Dumbledore came to see us once he was removed as Headmaster. He told us about the Chamber of Secrets and we realized the rumoured creature in the Chamber of Secrets was a Basilisk.”

“A Basilisk?” Ginny started. “I thought it was a nightmare. I remember the Chamber of Secrets and the Basilisk, but when I told my parents they told me it was a nightmare.”

Harry frowned. “I know Professor Dumbledore told them. I don’t know why your parents would have said that.”

“My mum was always trying to shelter us. She never really accepted that we were growing up. I imagine she thought it would be best if I didn’t know,” Ginny said bitterly. “I was totally unprepared when Lucius told me I’d done his master’s bidding. I felt as though I deserved to be paired with Draco.”

“You didn’t,” Harry said firmly. “It was Lucius and Voldemort, not you. The fact that you were able to break its hold on you and go to Professor McGonagall shows how strong you were.”

“That’s what my brother, Bill, told me,” Ginny admitted. “He was the only one who actually talked to me about what happened. My mother told me to forget about it and even when I confronted her once I knew the truth, she said I didn’t need to worry about it.”

“I’m sorry,” Harry offered. “I know what it’s like to have information kept from you. Professor Dumbledore, while I greatly admired the man, he kept a lot of information from me growing up.”

“Did he leave the Basilisk there?”

Harry shook his head. “I discovered that I am actually a Parselmouth — a gift from Voldemort. After that school year, Sirius and I went to the school and we found the Chamber of Secrets. I’m still a bit suspicious of the circumstances, but somehow I ended up facing the Basilisk alone. Sirius was injured when one of the tunnels collapsed, so I ended up down there alone. Fawkes, Dumbledore’s phoenix, brought me the Sorting Hat and I found Gryffindor’s sword. I used that to kill it.

“Sirius was furious. He thinks Dumbledore was testing me and somehow arranged the tunnel collapse. The fact that Fawkes brought me the Sorting Hat was rather suspicious. Sirius thinks he sent the phoenix to help me.”

“I can’t believe he sent you down there.” She sighed. “My mother thinks Dumbledore hung the moon, but I…the fact that he couldn’t save me always made me wonder.”

Harry nodded. “Thank you for sharing that with me. I can’t imagine it was easy.”

“No, but I didn’t want you to hear about it later and wonder. My husband thinks it is something to be proud of — the fact that I opened the Chamber of Secrets. He brags about it to his Death Eater pals. I know he promotes it like the Dark Lord chose me rather than his father was petty and targeted a little girl in order to try and kill my father’s bill.”

“That does not surprise me at all,” Harry said. Standing, he said, “Let’s see what your children are getting up to out there. I’m rather sure they are better behaved than my godfather.”

Following Harry out the kitchen door, Ginny was happy to see her children playing happily with the big black dog. Titania had found some flowers and was making the dog flower chains while Perseus and Orion were throwing a ball for Padfoot to catch. Harry laughed and jumped right in. He led the boys in a game of keep away with Padfoot jumping in the middle and playfully barking. Ginny smiled at the way he and Sirius both played so naturally with them.

Making her way over to a stone bench, Ginny reflected that she would have preferred to play with the children, but after years of being reprimanded for being too informal she didn’t feel comfortable doing so in front of others. Merlin knew that if her husband found out that she played with the children where others could see she would certainly be punished.

Titania came over and climbed on her lap. “This is fun, Mummy.”

Kissing her daughter on top of the head, she had to agree. After the boys tired of playing with the dog, Padfoot changed back into Sirius. At a word from him a tiny house-elf brought out a tray of with tall glasses of lemonade and six individual berry Pavlovas. The children swarmed around the tray helping themselves. Harry and Sirius flopped onto the grass and watched them with a smile.

As Harry watched, Titania lost her grip on her Pavlova and dropped the cut crystal cup on the ground shattering it. Perseus’ reaction was instantaneous; he jumped up in front of his little sister who had started crying. “It was an accident, she didn’t mean to break it.”

Harry stood up. “It’s okay, Titania.” With a wave of his wand, Harry repaired the glass. Ginny was drying her daughter’s tears while Perseus had not relaxed his protective stance.

Kneeling in front of Perseus, Harry looked him straight in the eyes. “Perseus, we don’t punish people for accidents in this house.”

The young wizard searched Harry’s gaze before nodded. Orion who had tensed at the potential confrontation seemed to relax. The same elf came and retrieved the empty glasses.

Harry watched as Perseus stalked over to the tallest tree in the garden and rested against it. Casually Harry glanced over at his godfather and wandered over to the tree. He didn’t say anything, but simply waited. It didn’t take the younger wizard long to start talking.

“Did you mean what you said?” Perseus demanded.

Harry nodded. “When I was just a baby my parents were killed and I went to live with my aunt and uncle. They weren’t very nice and they didn’t like me very much. I used to get punished for all sorts of things that weren’t my fault. When Sirius came and rescued me he promised me that he would never punish me for an accident and he kept his word. I did get punished a time or two when I misbehaved, but he never hit me or let anyone else hit me.”

“That’s what my mum is like,” Perseus said after a minute. “She’s the best. She loves us a lot. My father…he’s not very nice. I really don’t know if he likes us or not, but there are a lot of rules if he visits. We can’t laugh or smile, we can’t touch him, and we can’t talk to him unless he asks us a question. I hate when he visits.”

“That’s rough,” Harry said sympathetically. “My uncle had lots of rules as well.”

“What happened to them?”

Harry shrugged. “I’m not really sure. I haven’t seen them in years.”

“That would be nice, not having to see my father.” After a pause, he added, “He hits my mummy. I wish he wouldn’t do that.”

“Me, too,” Harry said. “It’s not right.”

“I know he made her marry him. I don’t know exactly why, but I heard my grandmother talking about it.”

“Have you ever asked your mum about it?”

Perseus shook his head. “I don’t want to make her cry. Father does that enough.”

“You’re a brave boy,” Harry said. “You looked after your sister and you try to look after your mother.”

“Thank you,” Perseus said softly.

“I don’t know if I can change anything, but I will be happy to listen to you if it will help.”

“Thank you.”

Harry dropped a hand onto the boy’s shoulder and squeezed gently. He drifted back over towards his godfather and he saw Ginny walk over to her son. He watched as she enfolded him in a big hug. He couldn’t hear what she was saying, but from the way Perseus reacted, he imagined she was telling him how proud she was of him.

“This is an awful situation,” Sirius said quietly.

Harry nodded. “I wish we could do something for them.”

“If you can get enough to arrest Malfoy that will do a lot for them.”

* * *

Ginny followed the directions to the aquatic centre the next day. Sirius was waiting out front and helped Ginny with her bag and helped wrangle the children. Leading the way inside, he pointed out the women’s locker room to Ginny and led Perseus and Orion into the men’s locker room.

“Is Harry here?” Perseus asked.

“He’s waiting for us by the pool,” Sirius replied as he patiently helped the two little boys into their swimming trunks.

“Unca Sirius, Mummy said we are going to meet a cousin today,” Orion said shyly.

Sirius nodded, pleased at the title Orion had used.

“Is he nice like you and Harry or mean like Father?”

“He’s very nice,” Sirius hastened to reassure him. “His name is Teddy and he’s a year old than Perseus. His grandmother, Andromeda, will be with him. She is also nice.”

Orion seemed reassured. “Okay.”

Once the boys were ready, Sirius placed their clothes in a locker and led them out into the pool area. It was mid-morning, so it wasn’t as crowded as it could be. Sirius easily spotted Andromeda, Harry, and Teddy.

Harry hoisted himself out of the pool to greet the new arrivals. “Hello, Perseus. Hello, Orion.”

Gesturing to the boy in the water, he said, “This is my godson and your cousin, Teddy.”

Teddy piped up. “Hello! Can you swim? Why don’t you come in the water?”

Harry helped them into the water, but soon the three boys were playing happily. Glancing up, Harry felt his breath taken away when he saw Ginny approaching with Titania. Ginny was wearing a deceptively respectable one piece dark green bathing suit that showcased her curves. She was gorgeous. Titania looked adorable in her bright pink swimming costume.

Sirius smiled at the pair. “Titania, would you like to come swimming with me?”

“Pease, Mummy?”

“Of course, darling,” Ginny said kissing her daughter on the side of the head.

Once the little girl was safely in the water with Sirius, Ginny glanced up at the tall wizard in front of her. It crossed her mind again how attractive he was. He was over six feet and well built; he was tanned and looked good. There were a number of scars littering his body, but they did nothing to detract from his appeal. Ginny wasn’t totally surprised to see he had a few tattoos as well. There was a stag and doe on his chest and a little chameleon on his arm. From the look of it, Ginny thought it might be magical.

“It’s for Teddy,” Harry said, answering her unasked question.

“I like it,” She replied with a smile. “What about the deer?”

“My dad’s Animagus form was a stag and my mum’s Patronus was a doe,” he explained. “I had them done when I was sixteen.”

Lightly touching her arm, Harry steered her towards a table. From the intake of breath, he knew she’d seen her. “She only looks like Bellatrix. Honestly, she’s nothing like her.”

“Sorry,” Ginny blushed. “I didn’t realize the resemblance was so strong.”

When they arrived at the small poolside table, Andromeda stood up. Harry smiled at her. “Andromeda, I would like to introduce Mrs Ginevra Malfoy. Mrs Malfoy, this is Mrs Andromeda Tonks.”

Ginny automatically reached out and shook hand with the older witch. “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mrs Tonks.”

“Please, call me Andromeda.”

Nodded, Ginny said, “Please call me Ginny. Only my husband and his mother call me Ginevra.”

“That sounds like my sister,” Andromeda said as she looked over the young woman who had the misfortune to be her niece by marriage. “I was very sorry to hear what my horrible brother-in-law managed to do to you. Come tell me about yourself.”

Harry headed back towards the water while Ginny sat down with Andromeda. She found herself talking about her family and her childhood. Andromeda shared some stories of her daughter, but not surprisingly she didn’t seem to have many fond memories of her childhood.

“How did you manage to escape?” Ginny asked quietly.

“It was difficult,” Andromeda said after a moment. “My whole family had been in Slytherin and of course we were all a Pureblood family should be. I didn’t really question my family’s beliefs until I started Hogwarts and met all sorts of children my family would have thought unsuitable, but I thought were nice. I think a defining moment came for me when I saw my big sister, Bellatrix, who I’d always looked up to, tormenting a first year Hufflepuff simply because she was Muggle-born. I looked at the girl and she wasn’t any different from me. She was a first year trying to learn magic and be on time to class.

“It was a bit of a revelation to me. I had to hide my growing distance from my family’s ideals. My father wouldn’t have hesitated to beat me into submission. Narcissa fell right in line with the rest of the family. I met Ted during my sixth year. Luckily, Bellatrix had already left school. I don’t think we could have hidden our relationship from her as we did from Narcissa.”

Andromeda shook her head. “Narcissa was madly in love with Lucius Malfoy and spent her time with him. Ted and I made plans to elope as soon as school ended. We left straight from the train. I was afraid if I went home I wouldn’t be able to leave. My father had made noises about betrothing me to another rabid blood purist. I was immediately disowned.”

Looking over at the younger witch, she asked, “What does my sister think you are doing now?”

Blushing, Ginny admitted she was supposed to be finding out if Harry was going after Draco or if the hospital ward was a one-time thing. “Narcissa seems to judge all men by her husband and assumes that Harry will be bragging about his one-upping Draco. Draco…he claims he doesn’t care if I have to seduce him. I wouldn’t even know how to go about doing such a thing, but I’m sure Draco would use it against me if I even flirted with Harry.”

“Narcissa always had a blind spot when it came to that husband of hers. She seemed to think him the epitome of a gentleman.”

Ginny shuddered. “He was a pig. I am very glad he is no longer around.”

“He wanted Draco to share?”

“Once I provided an heir, of course.”

“Narcissa would simply look the other way,” Andromeda snorted in disgust. “I don’t understand the women either of my sisters turned into. I don’t know exactly what Harry plans to do to help you, but I sincerely hope he succeeds.”

Ginny paled slightly. “Draco told me I served my purpose in our marriage and he could get rid of me without any questions being asked.”

Reaching across the table, Andromeda grabbed her hand. “Harry won’t let that happen. I know you don’t know him well, but if he’d known what was happening all those years ago you would never have been married to my nephew. Sirius was furious when he found out what happened.”

“I love my parents, but I have to admit there are times I am furious with them. When Draco threatened my life…I couldn’t think of what to do at first. I couldn’t go to my family — they couldn’t stand up to Draco eight years ago, so I couldn’t expect them to now. I trust Harry.”

“He’s a good man. When Dora and Remus first told me they were making him Teddy’s godfather I thought they were crazy. He was only seventeen, how could he know what to do? But he’s been amazing. He visits and writes from all of his trips. One of the first places he visits when he comes back to England is our home. Harry and Remus have a strained relationship, but Harry and Teddy…you can see how well they get along.”

Following the older woman’s gaze, Ginny saw the boys were swarming around Harry. They were all laughing. Titania was jumping from the edge into Sirius’ waiting arms and laughing before doing it all over again.

“It’s so nice to see them playing,” Ginny commented. “They don’t get much of an opportunity to play with other children.”

* * *

Ginny smiled as she watched Titania baking rock cakes with her grandma. One of her first memories was of making cakes in the kitchen with her mum. Titania was standing on one of the kitchen chairs with an apron wrapped around her. Ginny loved seeing the way her eyes were shining.

While Draco had arranged this trip for his own selfish purposes, she couldn’t help but think it was beneficial for the children. The boys had become fast friends with Teddy Lupin and obviously adored both Harry and Sirius. Titania was having so much fun playing with everyone and getting to know her cousins Victoire and Dominique who were five and three respectively.

A knock sounded at the door. Ginny opened it to find Harry on the other side. Her heart sped up, even as she willed it not to. She wished with all her heart that she’d met him before she’d married Draco. Andromeda was right; Harry would not have let her be married against her will if he could help it.

“Hello.”

“Hi,” she replied a bit breathlessly. “Welcome to The Burrow.”

“Thank you.”

Stepping back, she welcomed him in. “This is my mother, Molly Weasley. Mum, this is Harry Potter.”

Harry stepped closer to the counter. “Please don’t let me interrupt. It looks like the pair of you are having a lot of fun.”

“It is an honour to meet you,” Mrs Weasley said.

“Thank you, I was telling your daughter the other day that I’ve never found a treacle tart to equal the ones you used to send with your husband to our meetings.”

Mrs Weasley blushed. “I’m glad you enjoyed them. Perhaps Titania and I can whip one up this afternoon.”

“That would be lovely,” Harry said with a smile. Looking at Titania, he said, “Hello, beautiful. Are you having fun?”

She broke into a wide grin. “Yes, I wove baking wif Granny.”

Another knock sounded at the kitchen door. Turning, Ginny smiled in surprise. “Luna!”

Harry watched with interest as a slim, pretty blonde with a slightly dreamy expression hurried over and hugged Ginny. The newcomer gave off a bit of a dotty air, but she seemed quite happy to see Ginny.

“Ginny, it is so nice to see you.”

“Luna, I’ve missed you,” Ginny said. “How are you doing? I’ve been reading the Quibbler and you are doing a wonderful job.”

“Thank you,” Luna said with a smile. “I wish I could have been of more help to you.”

“Luna, I would like you to meet Harry Potter,” Ginny said gesturing to Harry. “Harry, this is one of my best friends from childhood, Luna Lovegood.”

Luna’s pale grey eyes protruded slightly, but held an intelligence Harry hadn’t expected. “Harry Potter, it is an honour to meet you. Kingsley Shacklebolt has many good things to say about you.”

“Thank you, Miss Lovegood,” Harry said. “Kingsley mentioned that you have interviewed him several times. He was quite impressed with your writing.”

Luna’s gaze turned speculative. “Would you be interested in sitting for an interview? You’ve not given an interview since the summer after you defeated You-Know-Who.”

“Voldemort,” Harry said forcefully. He wasn’t surprised when Mrs Weasley squeaked, but he was happy to note that Ginny didn’t react. Nor did Luna.

“I’ve observed that most people are uncomfortable with that name,” Luna said.

“It’s a name he made up to make himself sound more important,” Harry scoffed. “His real name was Tom Marvolo Riddle. He was a half-blood whose mother was an incompetent witch who used a love potion to ensnare a local Muggle on whom she had a crush. Riddle was furious that he’d been abandoned as an infant and used that as justification for his Pureblood agenda.”

Luna arched an eyebrow. “I would be very interested in talking to you.”

“Would you be interested in joining me and my godfather for dinner tonight?” Harry smiled charmingly. “I can guarantee some intriguing stories.”

“That sounds lovely,” Luna said.

Ginny called on the years of hiding her emotion to mask her reaction. She could tell Luna was interested in Harry. It shook her out of the bubble in which she’d lived the past week. Harry wasn’t courting her, she was already married. The unfairness of it all washed over her. Why couldn’t she have met him when she was sixteen?

“Mrs Malfoy, may I speak to you for a moment?” Harry asked.

Nodding, Ginny led him into the sitting room. Harry smiled. “I understand that your children are going over to the Lupin’s tomorrow to play.”

“Yes, they are quite looking forward to it,” Ginny forced a smile onto her face.

“Are you okay?” Harry asked gazing down at her.

“Of course,” Ginny replied smiling more naturally this time. “It’s been a busy time with the children.”

“I have a proposition for you,” Harry said. “I would like to invite you out to lunch tomorrow. There is a restaurant near the Ministry that is very popular with Ministry workers. It is very likely we would be seen and it be reported back to your husband. I will ‘let slip’ that I’ve been assigned to investigate the political unrest in Thailand to see if there are any Dark wizards behind it.”

Ginny took a deep breath. “So Draco will believe you aren’t watching him carefully?”

“I don’t want to put you in the position of being accused of being unfaithful to Draco. You are a very beautiful woman and he wouldn’t be surprised that I was bragging to try and impress you with my importance,” Harry said with a self-deprecating smile.

“He would certainly believe that,” Ginny said as she flushed with pleasure at the compliment.

“I am going to do my best to arrest your husband. I’m sure that can’t be much of a consolation, but at least he wouldn’t be able to hurt you anymore.”

“Thank you,” Ginny said honestly.

“Ginny — I’m sorry, Mrs Malfoy — “

“Please, call me Ginny. We are family of a sort,” she said.

“Ginny, I will do my best to protect you.”


	5. Ginny's Story

“Are you okay, son?” Sirius asked in concern after Luna left having interviewed Harry.

Harry slumped on the couch in the drawing room with his head in his hands. Sirius walked over and knelt by his godson. Harry looked up and Sirius could see the haunted look in his eyes.

“I hate reliving all of that,” Harry said softly.

“I know,” Sirius said soothingly. Rising he walked over to the sideboard and poured two glasses of Firewhiskey. “Merlin knows I hate thinking about how that monster haunted you and hunted you down. I wish that you didn’t have to spend your childhood training and fighting.”

“It wasn’t so bad,” Harry said with a smile. “I had you. My life is so much better now. I don’t have to worry about Voldemort or even Dumbledore and his plans for me. I choose to be an International Auror and you’ve always supported me.”

Sitting next to the younger wizard, Sirius handed him the drink and gave him a one-armed hug. “I’m proud of you, kiddo.”

Harry straightened under Sirius’ words. “Thank you.”

“Luna’s interesting.”

Harry laughed. “That she is. I think she’ll write a great article. If more reporters were like her, I’d have done more interviews. She didn’t ask stupid questions or get side-tracked by my personal life.”

“From what she said, it should be published next week. I can’t wait to see the reactions.”

“I’m still not convinced it will make that much difference. I gave my official report eight years ago and there are still people who I named as Death Eaters who walked away. Malfoy should never have been out to make that deal with Fudge. Yaxley and Mulciber? I can’t believe Bones let them pull the old Imperius defence. She knew it wasn’t true after the first war. I never would have thought she’d agree to it a second time.”

“I know,” Sirius sighed. “I hoped the whole Ministry would be cleared out. Kingsley pushed to have everyone with a Dark Mark sent to Azkaban, but Bones wasn’t willing to go that far.”

“Who knows, maybe the article will do some good.” Harry laughed. “Kingsley warned me about Luna’s interest in magizoology, but I didn’t quite understand what he meant. She told me that once the rest of the marked Death Eaters are put away, she wants to go on an expedition to look for Crumple-Horned Snorkack. I guess she and her father have been looking for one for a long time.”

“What the hell is that?”

“I didn’t even ask. She’d already told me about Nargles, moon frogs, Heliopaths, and Aquavirius Maggots so I just went along with the Crumple-Horned Snorkacks. My brain was exploding as it was. Did you realize she was held at Malfoy Manor?”

Sirius frowned as he thought back to the day he and Harry had raided the dungeons of the Malfoy family home. “She was the little blond who was helping Ollivander?”

Harry nodded. “She was taken because her father was supporting me. Ollivander had been there for a while and a few others were added who Malfoy or his master thought would be useful.”

“She certainly seemed interested in you.”

Harry rolled his eyes. “I’m not interested in her. She’s nice and fun to talk to, but there was no…spark.”

Holding up his hands in defeat, Sirius said, “Okay, I just…you’ve missed out on so much. You need to find a girl.”

“Like you have?”

Sirius laughed. “I date. I agree I’ve never found ‘the one’ like your parents or even Remus, but I haven’t stopped looking. I just worry that you don’t even look.”

“It’s hard. I don’t know if girls are interested in me because I’m a ‘hero’ or because I’m rich. Girls like Susan and Astoria are so shallow. Remus’ friend is the opposite; she’s too intense and serious. I’ve dated Muggles, but it’s hard because I have to hide so much from them.” Harry sighed. He knew he’d met a girl he was interested in, but Ginny was out of his reach. She was married and in the wizarding world, there was no such thing as divorce.

“You do realize she’s married,” Sirius said softly. At Harry’s quick intake of breath, Sirius said, “I’ve seen you watching her.”

Blushing, Harry said, “I…she’s amazing. Everything she’s gone through and she still has a great attitude and she’s doing a brilliant job raising her children on her own. Shite! I wish we’d met before…”

“I know.”

After a few minutes of silence, Sirius said, “Let’s go to the cottage. We haven’t flown in a while.”

Harry’s eyes lit up. As a kid, his favourite way to de-stress was to fly. Smiling, Harry said, “Let’s go.”

* * *

Harry looked over his reflection in the mirror. He was dressed in his best, wearing a crisp light blue shirt and dark blue tie with a midnight blue suit. His waistcoat was embroidered with the Potter family coat of arms. The trousers were sharply pressed and he wore his highly-polished dragon skin boots. He wore his family ring along with his father’s diamond cufflinks and the stag shaped tie pin with emerald eyes Sirius had given him for his sixteenth birthday.

“You are the epitome of a wealthy young man,” Sirius laughed.

“Excellent,” Harry said. “I’m stopping at the Ministry after lunch and Kingsley will not so discretely put out that I’m heading to Thailand.”

“Thailand?”

Harry shrugged. “They are having riots and there are rumours that Dark Magic is being used.”

“Draco will buy that. You’ve met Ginny in a family group several times and now you are meeting her for lunch. The Malfoys will be convinced you have fallen for her and will boast about your exploits. They obviously don’t know you at all if they think you will brag, but that’s okay.”

“You don’t think there will be any repercussions for her? Having lunch with me?”

Sirius shook his head. “She’s allowed to have lunch with you. You will be arriving and leaving separately. Draco will believe she indulged in a flirtation at his request.”

Harry nodded.

“When are you leaving for Kazakhstan?”

“Two days, I’ve already spoken to Pierre. He’s set up a cover for me. They are already working with the Kazak and Russian Aurors,” Harry explained referring to his supervisor in the International Auror Corps.

“Excellent,” Sirius said. “Have fun.”

* * *

Harry arrived at the restaurant a few minutes early. He’d noticed Ginny tended to be right on time and he didn’t want her waiting for him. After only waiting a few minutes, Ginny arrived. She looked amazing. Today she was wearing a sleeveless, knee length yellow dress. She wore a pearl and diamond necklace and matching combs pulling her hair back with the rest of her hair curling down her back.

Smiling, he reached out for her hand. Kissing the back of her hand, he said, “Mrs Malfoy, thank you for meeting me today.”

“Certainly, Mr Potter,” Ginny blushed prettily as she smiled up at him. Even though he knew she was acting this way for the benefit of anyone watching, Harry’s heart sped up. He wished with all his heart they could really go on a lunch date.

Harry had used his name to get a prime table near the centre of the room. That was not something he normally did, but he wanted to make an impression. He escorted Ginny to the table and nodded to several acquaintances from the Ministry. The room seemed to start buzzing as they sat down.

Accepting the menu, Ginny asked quietly, “How can you stand the attention?”

“I hate it,” Harry said frankly. “I’m much happier out of the spotlight.”

“I’m certain word of our lunch will make it back to my husband.”

“I’d be surprised if he doesn’t know before we leave. He will believe you pried secret information out of me and hopefully relax.”

“Let’s ignore them and just enjoy our lunch, shall we?”

Harry smiled. “That sounds good. Teddy told me yesterday that he really likes having cousins.”

“He’s such a sweet boy. Perseus really looks up to him. He’s so impressed with his ability to change his appearance. He was asking me why we can’t do that.”

“His mother, Dora, helped with my training. She would change her appearance during a duel to freak me out. First she would just change into other people or change her height or hair colour. Once she realized that I was shy around girls, she would…enhance certain features during a duel to distract me. The first time she did it, she turned around and was busting out of her shirt. I dropped my wand.”

Ginny burst out laughing. “I can so picture that. I met Tonks a few times. She would come out to the Burrow from time to time. During dinner she would change her face, she would do a pig snout or a duck bill. I found it endlessly entertaining.”

“I would have appreciated that a bit more than her teasing. Merlin, she could be relentless!”

“My brothers are like that. They are big pranksters and sometimes they don’t seem to realize when jokes turn a bit…mean.”

“The twins?”

She nodded. “Fred and George. They’ve opened a joke shop on Diagon Alley. I’ve not been there in many years, but it is doing really well.”

“Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes,” Harry exclaimed. “I didn’t connect it for some reason. They only attended a few meetings. I had the impression that your parents didn’t really want them involved. They tried to prank me during one of the meetings, but Sirius was watching and it didn’t go well for them.”

“Really? Someone got the best of them?”

Harry nodded, smiling at the memory. “He noticed them right away and watched them carefully. I guess they tried to slip something into my drink. He switched it and one of them turned into a peacock. It was some new wheeze they were trying out. What they didn’t realize was not only was Sirius very intense about my safety, but he and my dad were pranksters themselves whilst they were at school. They didn’t try that again.”

“The twins found some map whilst they were at school —“

Harry interrupted excitedly. “The Marauders’ Map? They found the Marauders’ Map? Do they still have it?”

“I’m not sure if they still have it. How did you know about it?”

“My dad, Sirius, and Remus Lupin made the map, along with Peter Pettigrew — stupid traitor.”

Ginny’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Sirius and Remus were Marauders? Merlin, Fred and George would be over the moon if they realized they’d met two of them. I’ll have to ask them what they did with the map. Which Marauders were they?” Realization washed over her. “Padfoot — of course. I thought it sounded familiar. Remus is…Moony?”

Harry nodded. “My father was Prongs — for his Animagus and Peter was Wormtail. Appropriately enough, his Animagus form was a rat.”

“He was caught in Devon years ago, right?”

“He was; that was when Sirius was freed. After Sirius’ trial, they were transporting Pettigrew and he transformed and escaped. Sirius was so upset. He finally caught him when we raided Malfoy Manor towards the end of the war.”

Ginny rolled her eyes. “That’s one of Draco’s points of pride — he got rid of the dungeons. Like any sane person would keep a dungeon in their house! This isn’t the fourteenth century.”

Harry laughed. “I think some of these stuffy old Purebloods aren’t happy about that turn of events. I get complaints when I turn up in Muggle suits instead of dress robes. I mean I wear dress robes when I have to, but I prefer Muggle formal wear.”

“It looks good on you,” Ginny said, promptly blushing at her boldness.

“Thank you,” Harry said with a smile. “You look lovely today. I mean you always do, but you look especially nice today.”

“Thank you,” she returned. Harry’s stumbling reply was much more heartfelt than any of Draco’s practiced compliments. When Draco complimented her, it was more about how she reflected well on him. With Harry, she could tell he really meant it.

The pair lingered over lunch trading stories and getting to know each other. While neither of realized it, they seemed very like a couple falling in love. Harry was correct in his estimation that Draco would begin hearing the rumours before they’d even left the restaurant.

Once he’d paid for the meal, Harry smiled at her. “Thank you for having lunch with me. I’ve very much enjoyed myself.”

“Me, too,” Ginny said with a shy smile.

“I will be in touch once I return from my trip. If you need anything, Sirius will be here. He will do anything he can to help you. You and your children.”

She smiled. “I know. Thank you.”

Harry accompanied her to the door and watched her walk off towards the Ministry. She’d told him that she was going to visit her father before heading back to the Malfoy townhouse. He waited until she was out of sight before heading the same direction. He was also going to the Ministry, but he didn’t want to tarnish her reputation irreparably. Having lunch in a public place with a family friend might be gossiped about, but if she was seen in his company more frequently or appeared to be meeting privately it could make Draco react angrily rather than think his plan was succeeding.

* * *

Hermione Granger watched Harry Potter lunch with Ginny Malfoy with growing anger and disgust. She’d been housemates with Ginny whilst they were at Hogwarts and while they’d never been great friends, they’d always gotten on well.

After Ginny’s first rough year at Hogwarts, she eventually found her place. She was pretty and popular and a good Quidditch player. If Hermione was honest, she would admit she was always a bit envious of the younger witch. The Weasley family was heavily involved in the war and Hermione admired their resolve and fortitude. Ginny helped organize several events to raise clothes and money for fellow students affected by the war.

Therefore, it came as a complete shock to hear just a few months after the war ended that Ginny had married Draco Malfoy. Draco Malfoy of all people! He’d tormented Hermione all through her school years and had openly supported Voldemort. How could Ginny have done that?

Sure, there were rumours of Ginny being forced into the marriage, but they were quickly squashed. Hermione had seen pictures of them smiling and looking happy at various events and even family pictures of them with their children. It enraged her that Ginny had sold out for a bit of gold. Without really thinking it through, she followed Ginny from the restaurant. She caught up to her a few blocks from the restaurant.

“Ginny!”

Turning, Ginny started to smile in acknowledgement. “Hermione.”

“I can’t believe you! First you betray your family and everyone who fought in the war by marrying Draco Malfoy, now you are trying to seduce Harry Potter! Did Draco get a little boring for you? Maybe you realize that Potter is worth more money?!”

An expressionless mask slid over Ginny’s features. “What are you talking about?”

“Please, like you don’t know! Do you know how embarrassed your family is by your actions? Percy and Ron always look so humiliated when someone mentions your marriage. I can only imagine what your parents think. I heard the reason the twins skipped the ball is they were so embarrassed that you were going to be there, they didn’t want to be associated with you. You sold yourself for a nice mansion and a pile of gold! You disgust me!”

“You have no idea what you are talking about.”

Hermione rolled her eyes. “You are married to Malfoy. You are standing in front of me wearing hundreds of Galleons worth of jewellery. I saw you dancing with your husband at the ball.”

“Of course I danced with him,” Ginny snapped. “He’s my husband. I didn’t have a damn choice in the matter! All those Purebloods know he bought and paid for me, so of course I have to dance with him.”

Something about the expression of Hermione’s face, made Ginny snap. “You claim my family is embarrassed? Of course they are, of their actions, not mine! My brother and parents ran up debts and I had to pay them off by marrying Malfoy. Do you honestly think I wanted to marry him?!”

“You didn’t choose to marry him?” Hermione said sceptically.

“Hell no!”

“So why didn’t you find a way out of it?”

“What was I supposed to do? I couldn’t exactly run away or refuse. If didn’t marry him, my parents and Percy would go to prison. My late, unlamented father-in-law planned his revenge on my family well. He gave them two weeks to come up with a large amount of money, but wouldn’t let them arrange a loan. I couldn’t let my mother go to Azkaban.”

“I find it hard to believe no one could help you,” Hermione scoffed. “Besides, you have three children together. How did you get pregnant if you ‘didn’t want to marry him’? There are many things you could have done if you didn’t want to sleep with him. There are ways to prevent conception.”

“How?!” Ginny completely lost her temper at the question. “Don’t you think I fought?! Do you think if I just said no, Draco would leave me alone? It’s very easy to get pregnant when your husband takes your wand, locks you in a room, and rapes you nightly until you conceive! I’m not allowed to take any potions that haven’t been approved by my husband. You think I wanted him touching me? Does this look consensual?” Ginny pulled the neck of her dress down to reveal the healing bruises while tears streamed down her face.

“I think you should leave, Miss Granger,” a voice came from behind the two witches. Hermione started to see a very angry Harry Potter standing there. “I trust you will not discuss this conversation with anyone.”

Stepping past her, he pulled Ginny into his arms. She dissolved into tears. As a cowed Hermione walked back to the Ministry, Harry Apparated them back to Grimmauld Place. He simply held her while she cried.

When she calmed down, she pulled back. Without a word, Harry handed her a handkerchief as they sat down on a small couch. She wiped her eyes and blew her nose. “I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry about,” Harry said firmly. “Miss Granger was bang out of line.”

“I always hoped that those who knew me would realize I didn’t choose this,” she said sadly. “I can ignore the catty comments of my husband’s deluded supporters, but I never thought Hermione would believe I wanted this.

“That first month was awful. Draco took my wand right after the ceremony. The first night I fought like crazy, but it didn’t do any good. He held me down and raped me. Over the next month, month and a half, I was ‘instructed’ during the day. My lovely in-laws made sure to tell me daily how coarse and ill-bred I was and that I should be happy they were condescending to help me. I had etiquette lessons and if I made any mistakes I was beaten. If I was too spontaneous, I was beaten. Lucius took great delight in disciplining me. Narcissa drilled me on proper dress. She taught me how to use make up to hide my bruises and the same matter of fact way she taught me to pick the right jewels to complement my outfit.

“I was so happy when I found out I was pregnant. Draco left me alone after that. The beatings stopped, but they watched me like a hawk. I’m not entirely sure why, but once Perseus was born I was allowed to retire to the country manor.”

A voice came from the doorway. “They probably wanted to make sure you didn’t try to terminate the pregnancy.”

The pair on the sofa turned to see Sirius watching them with compassion shining in his eyes. He walked over to join them, leaning over he kissed Ginny on the cheek and pulled her into a hug.

She returned the hug whole heartedly and smiled at his concern for her. “I never even considered ending the pregnancy. I don’t even know how I would go about doing such a thing.” She shook her head. “I may hate my husband, but I love my children.” Looking down at her hands, she said, “They may not have been conceived in love, but I’m determined they will know how much I love them.”

“You are a strong and amazing woman, Ginny,” Sirius said. “Many people would be so bitter that they wouldn’t be able to love their children, but your love for them is very strong and true.”

She smiled. “Thank you. I don’t feel very strong or amazing. I felt so weak.” Blushing she admitted, “I don’t even fight him anymore. He enjoys it too much.”

“Love, you are doing what you need to do to survive and care for your children,” Sirius said gently. He lifted her chin. “Don’t ever feel ashamed of doing what you have to do. Please don’t worry about small-minded people who have no idea what they are talking about.”

“I just feel like I have so few people on my side,” Ginny said softly. “Bill has always been my staunchest supporter. He tried right up until the ceremony to find a way out for me. My father didn’t do that, he just accepted it as inevitable. My mother pretends it was my idea. She ignores the bruises and injuries. She’s even told me how charming she finds Draco.”

Harry stared at her in shock.

She saw the look on his face. “I know. Percy obviously benefited from my marriage. His debts were wiped out and somehow he escaped the title of ‘blood traitor,’ which would have held him back. My twin brothers — I really thought they would be horrified on my behalf. They hated Draco at school. They made some noises about getting revenge, but they settled down pretty quickly. I later found out that they received a settlement in my marriage contract — that’s how they opened their shop.”

“They sold you out as well,” Sirius said in shock.

Ginny nodded sadly. “I think Bill and Charlie are the only two who didn’t benefit from my marriage. They both refused any offers. Ron didn’t accept any offers from the Malfoys, but he didn’t mind when my parents purchased him a flat in London. That way he can pretend it didn’t come from Draco.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that,” Harry said covering her hand with his. “Family should be there for you.”

She smiled. “Bill and Fleur are always there for me. Charles lives in Romania, but he writes regularly. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family and I enjoy spending time with them, but every once in a while it just gets to be too much for me.”

“You are always welcome here,” Sirius said firmly. “You and your children. If it gets to be too much, just let me know. We have plenty of room here and the house where Harry was raised is sitting empty if you want a different option.”

“Thank you,” Ginny said.

“Are you okay?” Harry asked anxiously.

Ginny nodded. “Let me fix my make-up.”

“I will accompany you to the Ministry,” Sirius said. “Harry, you should go now and talk to Kingsley.”

Reluctantly, Harry agreed. He couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. A large part of him wanted to go beat Draco Malfoy, but he knew that wouldn’t be prudent. It made him more determined than ever to catch him so Ginny never had to worry about him again.

* * *

Sirius made his way down to the Werewolf Support Division. Inwardly he was seething. Over the past week, he’d come to view Ginny as a younger cousin and the thought that she would be blamed for what he saw as her family’s failures was intolerable.

Upon arriving at Remus’ office, he knocked on the partially open door and entered when Remus beckoned him. When he saw Hermione sitting across from Remus’ desk, his anger spiked again.

“Miss Granger.”

“What’s wrong, Padfoot?” Remus asked anxiously as he easily read his old friend’s mood.

“What’s wrong? Why don’t you ask Miss Granger? She is full of poorly formed opinions.”

Remus glanced over at the witch and saw her pale. “What happened?”

“Miss Granger took it upon herself to blame Ginevra Malfoy for ‘embarrassing her family’ among other things. Embarrassing her family? They all but sold her to the little prick and happily reaped the benefits of the Malfoy fortune while she was raped and beaten. No wonder they are embarrassed! They should be embarrassed by what they did to that girl.”

Hermione flushed. “I didn’t realize that is what happened. One minute she was at Hogwarts and the next she was Malfoy’s bride. Their pictures were in all the papers. She was always smiling and looked so cool and calm.”

“Of course she was,” Sirius said dismissively. “I’m certain Narcissa beat that into her quickly enough.”

“I just don’t understand why she didn’t fight harder.”

“What should she have done? Let her parents go to jail? If she refused or ran away, her parents would suffer. She didn’t want that. Personally, I’m beginning to think she should have chosen that option, but she never would.”

“Why does she always look so…content in the family pictures they spread all over the papers?”

“Because she must,” Sirius replied heatedly.

“Why was she having lunch with Harry Potter? That doesn’t fit in with her claims of being afraid of her husband.”

Sirius surveyed her coolly. “Draco wanted her to befriend Harry in an attempt to charm information from him. The lunch was their way of showing that Harry was receptive to her charms without damaging her reputation too much. Miss Granger, I have answered all of your questions, however rude they might be. I am here to inform you that Mrs Malfoy is under my protection. Please don’t push it.”

Nodding to Remus, Sirius turned and strode out of the office. Before he got very far, Remus caught up to him.

“What the hell was that all about?”

“You should ask Miss Granger that question.”

“I’m asking you.”

“She accosted Ginny on the street and all but called her a whore. Harry caught up to them and brought Ginny to Grimmauld Place. The poor girl was in tears. She told us about her first months being married. She was raped until she was pregnant all while being ‘taught’ proper behaviour by Lucius and Narcissa.”

Remus swore.

“Harry is furious,” Sirius warned his friend. “I know Miss Granger is a good friend of yours, but she was totally and completely out of line. I don’t understand how she bypassed Draco and blamed the whole thing on Ginny. I thought Harry mentioned that she hated Draco.”

“I don’t know what she was thinking, but I will find out,” Remus promised him.

After Sirius left, Remus headed back to his office. Hermione was still there, but she looked as unsure as he could ever remember her looking. Before he could say anything, Hermione said, “I’m sorry I upset so many people. Maybe I shouldn’t have gone after her, but…it just seemed like she abandoned her principles for money.”

“Did she seem like that kind of person?”

Hermione faltered. “No. She always seemed to oppose him and everything he stood for. I think that’s what made me so angry. How could she forget everything he’d done and jump into bed with him? I ran into her brother, Ron, shortly after her marriage. When I asked him, he turned red and said he didn’t want to talk about it. From his actions, I could tell he was angry and embarrassed.” She sighed. “I guess I misread the situation. I owe her an apology.”

“Sirius…he tends to take things very personally. He and Harry have always championed the underdog. Sirius didn’t find out about the Weasleys’ predicament until after Ginny was already married. He feels guilty that he was unavailable and didn’t get Minerva’s messages until it was too late. After meeting her in person recently, it seems that both Harry and Sirius have taken her under their wings. They will both be very protective of her.”

* * *

Harry entered the International Aurors office in Almaty, Kazakhstan. It was in an older building in the Medeu District, but one that was often overlooked by Muggles. Dmitri Utrobin, the lead Kazak Auror was on hand to greet him.

“It is nice to meet you.”

“Thank you,” Harry replied.

Gesturing for Harry to follow him into the office, he explained, “We have been investigating the spike in Dark Magic in the Zailisky Alatau Mountains near the Chimbulak ski resort. We believe there is a group of wizards hiding in the mountains that are responsible for a number of assaults and disappearances. Does this sound like the men you are searching for?”

Harry nodded. “Both Antonin Dolohov and Rodolphus Lestrange were Death Eaters and spent quite a bit of time in Azkaban so their hold on sanity isn’t very good.”

As the two men were speaking, Dmitri’s team filed in and Dmitri briefly introduced them. Olga Polykova was their Dark Magic specialist and Alexander Vladimirovich or Sasha, as he preferred to be called, was Dmitri’s partner.

“What can you tell us about these men?” Olga asked.

Harry waved his wand and a picture of Antonin Dolohov appeared on the wall. “Antonin Dolohov was one of Voldemort’s first Death Eaters. He was sent to Azkaban in early 1981 for the murders of Fabian and Gideon Prewett, but was freed by Voldemort in 1996. He immediately took his place with the other Death Eaters and participated in several skirmishes with the Ministry and the Order of the Phoenix, a group formed to fight Voldemort and his followers. He participated in the Battle of Little Hangleton in 1998 and for a time it was thought he had been killed during the battle, but apparently he was wounded and managed to escape.”

With another wave of his wand, a picture of Rodolphus Lestrange appeared. “Rodolphus Lestrange was also one of the original Death Eaters. He was sent to prison after the first fall of Voldemort in late 1981. He, his wife Bellatrix, and another Death Eater attacked the Longbottom family, using the Cruciatus Curse on Mr and Mrs Longbottom, cursing them into insanity. Lestrange and his wife were also freed by Voldemort. Bellatrix was killed in the Battle of Little Hangleton, but Rodolphus escaped.”

“Dolohov and Lestrange were quiet for almost a year after the battle, but rumours of their activities started surfacing in out of the way places like Brazil and Romania. Since the Muggle war started, Dolohov has been spotted in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Lestrange was spotted in the Amazon. I spent time there searching for any trace of him. The story is the same in every country. Muggles start disappearing over a course of several months culminating in a series of bizarre ritualized murders. “

“Do we know the purpose of the murders?” Olga asked as she scribbled notes on a piece of parchment.

“We are not certain,” Harry answered. “There are several Dark rituals that they may be attempting. There are several rituals that are used to increase Magical powers that require ritualized murders.”

“Wasn’t their Dark Lord resurrected with a Dark ritual?” Dmitri asked.

“He was,” Harry confirmed, “but I can guarantee that he cannot be resurrected again. I saw to it before the last battle.”

Dmitri nodded accepting Harry’s assertion. “Do they have increased power?”

“We don’t think so,” Harry explained. “We think that is why they keep repeating the cycle. Many of these Dark rituals are very difficult to complete, we think they either do not have complete instructions or are having trouble obtaining the proper ingredients. One of the potions, for example, requires fresh Basilisk venom, which is obviously very difficult to obtain.”

Sasha spoke up, “I understand that you have intelligence that they are recruiting.”

Harry nodded and waved his wand again bringing up a picture of Draco Malfoy. “This is Draco Malfoy. He is a marked Death Eater, but he managed to place most of the blame on his father, Lucius, who was one of the original Death Eaters. Lucius was killed shortly after the end of the war and Draco deflected a large portion of the blame. His movements have been restricted and his vaults have been frozen, but he’s managed to fool enough people that there are whispers of repealing his punishment.”

Olga frowned at the picture before waving her wand and speaking rapidly in Russian. A moment later, a pretty young witch stood in the doorway. Olga spoke to her and gestured towards the picture. Harry watched as the girl paled. She answered Olga’s questions.

When she was done speaking to the girl, Olga turned to Harry. “This is Lucya. She met this Draco earlier in the week. He was using the name Cedric Diggory.”

Harry growled. “Cedric Diggory was killed in the Battle of Little Hangleton, fighting against Voldemort. Rumour linked Draco to his death, but nothing was ever proved.”

Looking at Lucya, he asked, “What did he want?”

Olga repeated the question in Russian and translated her response for Harry. “He was asking about the Auror department. He claimed to be a British Auror and had a badge. It seems he was asking about the strength of the department as well as any active investigations.” Olga shook her head. “The girl at least had the sense not to tell him of any investigations, but she did tell him about the department. She found him charming.”

“He’s not,” Harry replied shortly. “He covers his evil with a veneer of charm, but it wears through very quickly. Last week he beat his wife because he lost a business deal.”

Raising an eyebrow, Olga quickly told Lucya was he’d said. Lucya looked ill, but she looked directly at Harry. Through Olga, she told him that Draco was staying at the Kazakhstan Hotel on the corner of Kurmangazy Street and Dostyk Avenue.

“Is he still there?”

Blushing Lucya admitted they’d had a date the night before and she’d stayed the night with him. He claimed to have a big event tonight and he was leaving the country the next day. He told Lucya that he planned to visit Kazakhstan several times over the coming months.

Sasha dispatched a team to the hotel. They would search his room once he left for his big event that night.

* * *

The next morning, Harry was sitting in a meeting with the rest of the team. Heavily disguised, the local members of team infiltrated the rally being held in the foothills of the mountains. They thought having another British person in the area would be suspicious so Harry had been part of the team that had searched the hotel.

Sasha reported that most of the attendees were angry at the lack of available jobs and the poor pay in the region — Death Eaters seemed to attract the same type of people no matter the nation. They attracted the poor, the marginalized, and those angry at their circumstances. They promised power and allowed their followers to torment others and give into their basest instincts — it was not a good combination.

“There was no sign of the three you showed us, but there was definitely a hierarchy. Those who organized the rally talked about their British sponsors,” Sasha explained.

“Any thoughts about what they wanted?” Harry asked.

Sasha shook his head. “Unfortunately, not. There were vague promises of power and the putting down of Marn.”

“Marn?” Harry interrupted.

“The non-magical,” Sasha explained. “I believe you call them Muggles.”

Harry nodded and Sasha continued, “There was some talk of the Dark Lord you defeated and how they would continue his mission. We can arrest those at the meeting, but I understand you would rather we monitor them and try to catch the ringleaders.”

“Yes,” Harry nodded. “I’m afraid if we arrest the locals, the Death Eaters would simply move onto another location and start again. We can monitor the local populace and try to protect everyone.”

“What did you find in the hotel room?” Dmitri asked.

“Not much,” Harry said in frustration. “He had some paperwork indicating he was investing in a potions and elixir company here in Almaty. He’s too smart to leave anything incriminating around, but there was a map with the meeting site circled. Unfortunately, he’s also booked to return to the UK later today.”

Dmitri nodded. “We’ve been working on an appropriate cover story for you. Are you scheduled for the translation matrix?”

Harry nodded. Translations matrices were a commonly used method of rapidly learning another language. They lasted longer than the translation spells and helped remove most traces of their native accent.

“Very good, Sasha has arranged a job for you in one of the local broom making companies. We found several men at the rally worked there.”


	6. Kazakhstan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to my two children. My daughter was born in Almaty, Kazakhstan and my son was born in Perm, Russia - both of which are mentioned in this story. I've also used my childrens' birth names in the story.

Harry finished casting the appropriate spells on the broom. He’d been working at a broom factory for six weeks now and found it interesting. While he’d owned the best racing broom in the world, he’d never really thought about the spells that went into making a broom fly. The Soaring Eagle was the national broom of Kazakhstan — it was a hardy broom able to handle the mountainous terrain. It wasn’t fancy and its top speed was only sixty miles an hour, but Harry found it a rather useful broom.

“Konstantin!”

Turning at the sound of his alias, Harry saw Damir, one of his contacts, hurrying towards him. “Damir.”

Damir looked around to make sure they were alone before whispering, “We have a mission.”

“Brilliant. What are we going to do?”

“We’re going to Kabul, Afghanistan.”

“Afghanistan? Isn’t there some sort of war going on there?”

Damir laughed. “Da, the Marn they will fight over anything. Not to worry my friend, we are simply going to pick up a boy and bring him back here.”

“Okay, when do we leave?”

“As soon as our shift is over,” Damir replied.

Harry watched as Damir walked off. Turning back to the brooms, he debated what to do. It seemed he was finally being accepted into the group. A boy? That just seemed odd. The group didn’t seem to be into human trafficking and if they were it seemed as though they would be picking up more than one boy. Sending a quick message to Dmitri, Harry continued working.

Two hours later, Damir and Harry took a Portkey into Kabul. They ended up in what appeared to be a storeroom. Harry noticed stacks of clay pots and jars and shelves of what appeared to be potions ingredients. They were labelled in Arabic so he had no idea what they were.

The noise of their arrival alerted three men who entered from the front room. Damir started speaking to them in what Harry thought might be the native language of Afghanistan, Dari, but he wasn’t entirely certain. After a few minutes of conversation, Damir gestured for Harry to follow him. “They will bring us the boy.”

Harry nodded and looked around. There were noises from the street, but unlike the last time he’d been in Kabul there didn’t seem to be any attacks happening presently. Outside of the shop he could see two men guarding the shop, both of them holding guns. He presumed that meant they were Muggles. The men inside the shop were definitely wizards; he wondered who it was they were picking up. Olga had sent word that there were no reports of human trafficking, so Harry was rather at a loss as to what they were doing.

After several minutes, a boy in his late teens was pushed into the room. His arms were bound behind his back and it was obvious that he’d been beaten. Damir explained the boy was called Ganak and he was from India.

“What’s so special about him?” Harry asked curiously.

Damir shrugged. “Not a clue. I was just told to bring him back to Almaty. He’s to stay in the house until they are ready for him.”

Soon the three were back in Kazakhstan. Harry’s heart went out to the boy, he was obviously terrified and wasn’t sure why he was there. They arrived in the old abandoned building that was used as the group’s headquarters.

“I was told he needs to be in one piece and able to talk,” Damir said. “I will be right back. Will you watch him?”

“Of course,” Harry replied. Once Damir left, Harry walked over to the boy and loosened his bonds before offering him some water. Casting a translation spell, Harry soon learned the boy was a wizard, but had never been trained. He was originally from the Rajasthan state in northern India, but was currently working in a temple in southern India dedicated to the snake god, Nagaraja.

Damir returned a few minutes later with one of the local leaders of the group. Harry nodded respectfully. The man ignored him and focused on Ganak.

After asking the boy a few questions, the man turned to Damir who set a covered pot down in front of the boy. With a few waves if his wand, Damir lifted the lid on the pot to reveal a large cobra. Harry could see fear in the eyes of both Damir and the other man, but Ganak showed no fear. The cobra lifted itself out of the pot and looked around using its tongue to test the air.

Straightening up, Ganak spoke in the sibilant hisses that Harry recognized as Parseltongue. Ganak commanded the snake not to bite anyone. Cursing inwardly, Harry was afraid he knew why the boy had been brought to Kazakhstan.

Vanishing the snake, the leader said, “Excellent. You do speak the language of the snakes.”

“Yes,” Ganak said defiantly.

“We need your assistance with a project,” the man said as he led the boy out of the room.

Harry turned to Damir. “What the hell was that? What was that hissing noise?”

“I was told that the boy can speak to snakes,” Damir explained.

“Creepy,” Harry commented.

Damir laughed. “You didn’t have to carry that damned snake in here.”

“Do you know what this project is?”

“No idea.”

* * *

The next day, Harry was walking through Panfilov Park and he stopped in front of the eternal flame that commemorated those who had died in the Russian civil war and WWII. It was lovely memorial, he reflected.

He approached the Zenkov cathedral and skirted around the tourists taking pictures of the structure. On one side of the cathedral was an open area set up for children’s’ activities. He could see some children running among the pigeons and some feeding them. There was a donkey cart that was giving rides and several children were queued up so they could ride.

He headed for one of the benches that looked out over the square. He wasn’t waiting long when Olga joined him. She didn’t look directly at him, but tossed some old bread out to the birds. Harry discretely cast privacy spells. Anyone looking at them would see a woman sitting alone on the bench feeding the birds.

“Olga, I think they are trying to make a basilisk.”

She cursed. “Please tell me you are joking.”

“I went to Afghanistan last night and brought back a Parselmouth who will be working on a special project. One of the other men was complaining last week about having to collect toads and I’ve seen chicken eggs. What else could it be?”

“That is the only thing that comes to mind,” she agreed. “Do you know when the toads were collected?”

“I don’t know exactly, but I know he was complaining about the toads last Tuesday.”

“That doesn’t give us much time. A chicken egg will hatch in twenty-one days. If they’ve already spelled the toads to sit on the eggs, we have less than that.”

Harry tried to remember what he’d read about basilisks before he and Sirius had gone to Hogwarts to kill the one in the Chamber of Secrets. “How long before they are fatal?”

“I believe as soon as they are born,” Olga replied. “They can kill as soon as they are born, but they can be controlled by a Parselmouth. That must be why they brought the boy up. Not much is known about them as it has been illegal to breed them for centuries.”

“How the hell can they expect to control a basilisk? Even with Ganak’s help it wouldn’t take much to slip up.”

“They may not wish to control it. They may wish to simply use it for its venom or scales.”

Watching the children play, Harry couldn’t believe they were having this conversation. “If they are going to go to the trouble of breeding a basilisk and kidnapping a Parselmouth to control it, I can’t believe they are going to kill it right away. The bigger they are the more venom they produce and the more scales they would have.”

Glancing over at him, she said, “I’ve heard rumours that you killed a basilisk.”

Harry nodded. “It was huge - a huge green snake that was over fifty feet long. The damn fangs were over a foot long. I can’t imagine a baby basilisk would be of much use.”

She frowned. “Unfortunately, I think you are correct. Do you think they are going to breed more than one?”

“It is possible, but the more there are the more dangerous the situation. They might see which is the strongest and kill the others. If you have a bunch of snakes, they need to be fed. You can’t let a den of basilisks go hunting.”

“Let me know what you discover,” Olga said. “We have heard increased chatter about ‘something big’. Draco Malfoy has visited the city twice in the past month.”

“Still no sightings of Dolohov or Lestrange?”

She shook her head. “We are investigating real estate transactions to see if we can find where they might be staying, but nothing so far.”

“I will keep in touch.”

* * *

Draco looked at the tacky shop that belonged to his brothers-in-law with distaste. While they’d made a lot of money from their pranks, he thought the whole shop to be in very poor taste. However, he couldn’t deny the twins were very creative.

Opening the door, he strode over to the counter. “I need to speak to either Fred or George Weasley.”

The blond clerk’s eyes widened. She obviously knew who he was. “Of course, Mr Malfoy.”

She ducked into the back and returned a few minutes later. “Fred will be out in a few moments.”

Draco nodded and leaned against the counter, showing no signs of wanting to look around the shop. Looking at the clerk, he realized she was quite attractive. “What is your name, love?”

Blushing she replied, “Claire.”

By the time Fred appeared, Draco had a date with Claire for later that night. Fred ignored the flirtation; he’d long accepted the fact that his brother-in-law was not faithful to his sister. “I have something to show you.”

Draco followed him into the office shared by the twins. George was out of town at the moment so it was only the two of them. Sitting behind his desk, Fred reached into a locked cabinet behind him. He pulled out two items — one was a hood with a mask over the face and the other was a simple pair of glasses.

Taking the proffered items, Draco turned them over in his hands. “How certain are you that these will work?”

“We aren’t,” Fred admitted. “It’s not like we have a basilisk or gorgon around to test them. The theory is sound and they should work.”

Standing, Draco took them. “I will be in touch if I would like either of them replicated.”

Fred nodded and stood as Draco left. Dropping back into his chair, he wondered what Draco needed with something that would block the glare of a basilisk. Shrugging, he decided that he didn’t really need to know. While he’d never liked Draco, the money Draco provided for his ‘special projects’ more than made up for any of Draco’s insults. His mother assured him that Ginny was happy, so why would he rock the boat?

* * *

“Damir is missing,” Harry reported to Olga. “I presume he is dead. He told me a week ago Thursday that he had a special mission for the important Brit. He hasn’t been seen since.”

“He’s not the only one,” Sasha put in. “I’ve had reports of seven other young men presumed to be in the group who have gone missing. No bodies have been found, but that doesn’t mean anything.”

“Did he say which Brit?” Olga asked.

Harry shook his head. “I’ve received an ‘invitation’ to participate in an important mission tomorrow night. They are organized. The note caught fire as soon as I finished reading it. From what I’ve been able to tell, this is what happened to all of the missing men.”

“What are you thinking?” Dmitri asked.

“I think it must have something to do with the basilisk,” Harry replied. “I don’t know if they are trying to obtain venom or they are just feeding it. I would imagine it would be easier to obtain wildlife for food, but who knows.”

“If the ‘Important Brit’ is one of our three we should step in,” Dmitri decided.

Harry nodded. “I don’t want to put more people at risk. From what I’ve discovered, they are keeping the basilisk in a cave on the mountain. There are two men guarding the cave at all times. I did some time as a guard last week and I could occasionally hear noise that I think is coming from the basilisk. The guards are all nervous and talk about a monster, but I don’t think they know what it is.”

“We will set up a strike team,” Dmitri said after thinking it over. He looked over the map Harry had provided. “We can be in place and await your signal.”

* * *

Draco swore angrily as he searched the hut they had provided for Ganak. Turning to one of the guards, he asked, “How the hell did he escape?”

The guard stared at him uneasily. “I do not know. He was here last night, but he hasn’t been seen since. The two guards were found dead in their hut.”

 _“Avada Kedavra!”_ Draco turned to the other guard. “I expect much better work. Get rid of this trash.”

A relieved look crossed over the guard’s face. He relaxed a moment too soon.

 _“Crucio!”_ Draco held the curse on the guard.

“We need to check the beast’s chamber,” Antonin Dolohov said when Draco lifted the curse. The guard scrambled out of the hut taking his comrade’s dead body with him.

Glancing at the two older Death Eaters, Draco nodded respectfully. “Uncle, will you perform the suppression charm?”

Rodolphus nodded. The three men travelled down the path into the cave where the basilisk was kept. Drawing his wand, Rodolphus closed his eyes before he started chanting. He’d discovered a spell that would put the basilisk to sleep and allow them to safely enter the cave.

Cautiously Lestrange opened the solid steel door that enclosed the basilisk’s chamber. He relaxed when it was apparent the deadly serpent was asleep. The bloodied bodies of the wizards who had been testing the Weasley shields were laying around them. There was no sign of the Parselmouth who had been caring for the snake, but the guards charged with watching him were there.

Swearing, the three wizards withdrew from the room. Dolohov pinned Draco with a glare. “How is the testing going?”

“It is going well,” Draco said a touch nervously. “Weasley has been making the adjustments and the last volunteer was Petrified rather than killed. He’s sending a new hood tomorrow. I’ve already sent for a volunteer. If it works, we will be able to use the basilisk.”

“How in Merlin’s name will we use it if we don’t have a Parselmouth?” Dolohov snarled. “It took forever to find the Indian boy. If you search for a Parselmouth, the two most well-known are the Dark Lord and Potter. The Dark Lord is dead and I somehow don’t think Potter would be willing to help us.”

“Your wife,” Rodolphus said. “She opened the Chamber of Secrets; she must have used Parseltongue to open it.”

“She did,” Draco agreed. “She claims she doesn’t remember any of it. She’s always denied being a Parselmouth.”

“Perhaps she hasn’t had the right persuasion,” Dolohov said with a cruel smile. He shrugged. “Besides, you were getting tired of her anyhow. If it doesn’t work you can make a match more to your liking.”

Thinking it over, Draco agreed. Astoria Greengrass had been hinting that her father would provide a large dowry if he was in a position to marry again. He could let the Weasleys have Titania, that way they wouldn’t complain too much about Ginny. Thankfully his boys both looked like him. They were a bit too soft, but he could easily change that.

“I will bring her here.” Draco agreed.

* * *

Harry sat down at one of the outdoor tables at the British pub in town. He was actually impressed, the food was not bad. After ordering the chicken tikka masala and a beer, he started people watching. Those passing by were a mixture of locals and ex-pats.

His mind turned to his ‘mission’ tonight. He hoped one or more of their targets showed. Usually he didn’t mind going undercover, but for some reason he wanted to be back in England now.

A flash of familiar red hair caught his attention, but to his disappointment it was on a man. It was a tall, thin man talking to a blond. Harry realized it was Draco Malfoy. This could be the opportunity they’d been waiting for. Turning his attention to the red-head, Harry realized he looked vaguely familiar. Could it be one of Ginny’s brothers? Quickly Harry double checked his charms to ensure he didn’t look like Harry Potter. Satisfied with his disguised, he cast an eavesdropping charm when the two men sat down at a table on the patio.

“I really think this one should work,” the red-head said. “We’ve increased the shielding charms and varied the filtering charms based on the results you sent us. Obviously, we didn’t have anything to test it on, but this should work.”

“I’ll be testing it tonight,” Draco said. “Or at least I will be having it tested.”

“You have a basilisk here?”

Draco nodded.

“Can we have some of the skin?”

“Why?”

“We have some ideas how it can be used in our products. I asked my father to push for rights to the one my sister found in the Chamber of Secrets, but he wouldn’t. He claimed that someone else had killed it and had the rights.”

Harry’s eyes widened in shock — this was really one of Ginny’s brothers! How could they be helping Draco? Thinking back to what she’d told him about her family, he thought maybe this was one of the twins. What were they testing? He had a sinking feeling he was doing the testing. It sounded like Draco had his brothers-in-law attempt to create a shield to protect against the gaze of the basilisk. He listened in dismay as Draco agreed to obtain some skin for his brother-in-law.

* * *

After double checking with the Kazak team, Harry headed up to the mountain path where he’d been instructed wait. The guards gave him a look of pity. Harry imagined they must have seen this same scene enacted over and over.

A noise caused him to look over and his heart almost stopped when he saw Draco leading Ginny over towards him. She’d obviously been beaten recently since there were bruises along both arms and a large one along the side of her jaw.

“Konstantin?”

“Da,” Harry acknowledged attempting to disguise his voice.

Draco gestured for Harry to head down the path into the cave. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Draco shove his wife. Ginny straightened and ignoring her husband, followed Harry. They arrived in a larger chamber and Harry was pleased to see Dolohov and Lestrange waiting for them. Maybe they could get all three of them.

Dolohov handed Harry a hood. “Put this on, boy. You will go with the lady into the next chamber.” Looking to Ginny, he said, “You better hope you remember more Parseltongue than you claim.”

“Draco, please don’t do this.”

He laughed. “If it doesn’t work, it will save me the trouble of ridding myself of you.”

“What about the children?”

“My mother is perfectly capable of looking after the brats in the short term. I’m certain Astoria wouldn’t mind becoming an instant mother. I’ll be nice. I’ll give your parents the girl; that way they won’t ask too many questions.”

Glaring at her husband, Ginny stood up straight and lifted her chin. Dolohov and Lestrange laughed.

“Wait!” Draco cried. Ginny looked at him hopefully, but he simply held out his hand. “Give me your jewellery. If you fail, I don’t want the Malfoy jewels ruined.”

Stripping off her engagement and wedding rings, Ginny threw them on the floor. Draco backhanded her. Harry made a movement towards him causing the men to laugh.

“Don’t worry, you will have the opportunity to protect her in there.”

Stepping up to the door, Lestrange once again put the basilisk to sleep. Opening the door, he shoved Harry and Ginny inside. When she caught sight of what was in the chamber, Ginny screamed.

Draco followed them into the chamber and approached the basilisk. Harry detected some fear in the other wizard’s eyes, which was quickly covered with arrogance. The basilisk had shed its skin already and Draco grabbed it. “Your brother asked for some skin in exchange for his help with the hood. I think this should suffice, don’t you think?”

Harry could see the look of betrayal on her face as Draco excited the chamber. After the door slammed shut, Harry quickly sent for the team and removed his glamour charms.

“Ginny, it’s me.”

She was staring at the basilisk and the body parts scattered around the chamber. Harry could see she was starting to shake. He was afraid she was starting to go into shock.

“Ginny!”

Jumping, she turned and saw him. A look of confusion was quickly followed by relief and she threw her arms around him. “Harry. What is going on?”

He held her in his arms. Holding up the mask, he said, “The Auror team is on the way and hopefully they will take care of your husband, Dolohov, and Lestrange.”

“How will we get out of here?”

He swore and shoved the mask in her hands. “I don’t know if this will work, but put this on and when I say so, close your eyes. This is supposed to be a mask to block the glare of the basilisk. I overheard a conversation between Draco and the mask’s creator and with the last version of this the person was Petrified instead of killed. It might work, but please keep your eyes closed. This will be the back-up plan. Hopefully, when the team comes they will break whatever wards have been erected by them.”

“What about you?”

“I’m a Parselmouth, the basilisk can’t hurt me. They seem to think you might be able to control the basilisk because of the Chamber of Secrets.”

“I can’t,” Ginny said tearfully. “I am not a Parselmouth. Tom was the one who spoke the Parseltongue when it was needed. Draco is trying to kill me. I can’t die here.”

Taking both her hands in his, he looked down into her tear filled eyes. “I promise I will do everything I can to make certain you make it home to your children.”

He wanted with everything in him to kiss her, but he didn’t think she would appreciate it. To his surprise, she leaned up and kissed him. It was a chaste kiss, but to Harry it was more wonderful than anything he’d experienced. Pulling away, she blushed.

“If I am going to die, I want to have kissed someone who doesn’t hate me.”

He smiled at her. “I definitely don’t hate you.”

Linking his hand with hers, he squeezed her hand. “Stay behind me. I think it is starting to wake.”

She shakily pulled the hood over her head. Confident that she was safe for the moment, Harry turned his attention to the basilisk. It was bright green with small horns on top of its head. Harry estimated it was about eight feet long. It was much smaller than the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets, but Harry was surprised how fast it had grown in such a short period of time.

Looking around the chamber, he could see at least six bodies. Because they’d been attacked by the snake it was hard to tell exactly how many there were. Sadly Harry did see Damir’s body on the far side of the room.

The serpent started stirring. Once its eyes opened and its tongue came out, testing the air around it, Harry spoke.

“Hello, great serpent.”

Looking around in surprise, it fixed its yellow eyes on Harry. “Hello. I am called Kaaliya. You are another ssspeaker. Did Ganak send you?”

“Ganak, the other speaker?”

“The young speaker,” hissed the snake. “I helped him escape. I glared at the guards of his back room and he ran away.”

“There is another way out of this room?”

The snake nodded and gestured with its head. “There is a door hidden in the rocks. The young speaker spent many hours in here with me. He told me about the evil ones who wish to use me for evil. He wanted to escape back to his country. I wished to go with him, but it is dangerous for me to travel.”

Harry considered the matter. Originally, he’d simply planned on killing the Basilisk, but could he relocate it instead? “Can you control your gaze? Can you look at people and not kill them?”

“Ganak said it was possible. The monks at his temple have worked with snakes like me in the past, but he didn’t know the techniques. He wanted to have some of them come rescue me. He is one of many sspeakers at the temple, but he is also the youngest so he doesn’t have all of their knowledge.”

Harry raised an eyebrow. He hadn’t realized there were so many speakers, but he supposed given the bias against it most people wouldn’t advertise their ability. Maybe this explained the snake temples in India and Thailand, perhaps the snakes converged on those who could speak with them.

“I need to escape this chamber. The witch with me is innocent and she needs to return to her children. I plan to capture the evil men and clear out these caves. I will make certain no one harms you.”

“Thank you, speaker.”

Turning, Harry looked at Ginny. She was trembling, but remained facing away from Kaaliya. “There is a back exit. Kaaliya is going to help us escape. He helped the last speaker escape as well.”

“Kaaliya?”

“The basilisk.”

“Oh, of course,” Ginny replied with a slight edge of hysteria in her voice.

“He doesn’t know how to modify his gaze so keep your eyes averted,” Harry warned.

Kaaliya obligingly turned away from them so Harry could lead Ginny across the chamber to the hidden door. It only took Harry a moment to open the door. There were two guards, but the basilisk made short work of them.

“Thank you, Kaaliya. I will make sure someone comes for you,” Harry hissed.

Kaaliya hissed his thanks and retreated back into the chamber. Harry pulled the hood off of Ginny’s head. She was pale, but unharmed.

“I don’t know how long we have until they realize we have left the chamber,” Harry said.

A large explosion caught their attention and the sound of popping filled the air. “The team has arrived,” Harry said with relief.

Picking up a cup from the table in the guard hut, Harry tapped it with his wand. “ _Portus._ This will take you back to your house. Gather your children and take them to Grimmauld Place. Sirius will take care of you. I may be stuck here while we sort everything out. I will be in touch as soon as possible.”

“Thank you,” she said hugging him. He returned the embrace, wishing he could return to England with her. Stepping away, she disappeared from sight as the Portkey activated.

* * *

Harry felt the wards fall as the sounds of the attack continued. He hurried back through the basilisk’s chamber. Kaaliya was curled up in one corner of the chamber. Harry sealed the back entrance and cautiously opened the door. There was no one directly outside the chamber. After reassuring Kaaliya he would return, Harry sealed the chamber from the outside and quickly conjured up a sign in both  
Russian and English stating _‘Dangerous Animal — Do Not Enter.’_

Taking a deep breath, he quickly and quietly made his way through the tunnels towards the sound of fighting. He could see Dolohov and Lestrange fighting Olga and Sasha along with several other Aurors. There were several smaller groups fighting throughout the tunnels. Glancing around, he looked for any sign of Draco, but he didn’t see any.

He heard a scream as Dolohov’s signature purple curse hit Olga on the arm and killed the Auror next to her. Swearing, he joined in the fight. Catching Dolohov from behind, he took him down with a blasting curse to the legs, breaking the man’s right leg and amputating his left leg from the knee down. Summoning the man’s wand and any Portkeys he may have had on him, Harry wrapped him with thick black rope.

Lestrange didn’t go down as easily. Turning, Harry saw Sasha fall. He jumped into the fight. After exchanging spells with the man, Harry ducked back into a disused tunnel. Glancing over, he realized Sasha had been killed and he could see the unmoving body of another Auror.

Coordinating with Olga, he jumped up and they both hit him with blasting spells from either side. Harry’s spell sent the man flying backwards and he was impaled on a sharp outcropping of rock. Rodolphus Lestrange was dead.

* * *

“Mummy! What happened?”

It took Ginny a minute to orient herself. She was standing in the nursery at Malfoy Manor. Perseus, Orion, and Titania were dressed for bed and looked very confused.

“Mummy, did father hurt you?” Perseus asked anxiously.

Ginny blinked to keep the tears at bay. How do you tell your son that his father just tried to kill you and wished to turn him into a Death Eater? Perseus seemed to understand some of her torment.

Ginny nodded. “Your father…he tried to hurt me, but Harry was there and managed to protect me and send me home.”

“Will we be safe?” Perseus asked.

Ginny nodded. “Tomorrow we will go to Grimmauld Place and Sirius will watch out for us.”

Looking to Lia, Ginny said, “Can you pack bags for the children and me?”

Lia nodded and started doing as she was asked.

“Is father doing something bad?” Orion spoke up for the first time as he snuggled up next to his mother.

Ginny nodded tiredly. “He is, but Harry and the other Aurors will stop him.”

“Mummy, are we bad?”

Ginny felt her heart drop when her younger son asked that. “No, love. You and your brother and sister are very, very good. Your father has done bad things, but you are not bad at all.”

Shakily, Ginny stood and walked her children to their rooms. One by one, she tucked them in and kissed them on the cheek. Perseus and Orion shared one room and Ginny put them to bed before continuing on to Titania’s room. She lay down next to her daughter. The warm, little body snuggling up close to her brought her a lot of comfort. Wrapping her arms around her daughter, she could smell the wildflower shampoo that always made her think of babies. Despite her racing mind, she was soon sound asleep.


	7. Confrontations

When the Aurors began Apparating into the tunnels, Draco took off running. He’d scoped out the tunnels during his first visits and had an escape plan in place. Vaguely he wondered if Ginny had survived her visit to the basilisk. He rather hoped not, Astoria would make a much more appropriate Malfoy bride. Not to mention it would be a much more profitable union. Ginny had brought no money into the marriage.

Crawling through the smallest part of the tunnel, he broke out into sunlight. Pulling his uncle’s Invisibility Cloak around him, he looked around. Aurors were swarming the tunnels, but he’d exited high enough on the mountain that no one noticed him. Hunkering down, he settled to wait and see what happened.

He couldn’t believe it when he saw Antonin Dolohov pulled out of the tunnels unconscious, bleeding, and trussed up like a Christmas goose. His shock was even greater when he heard them yelling that Rodolphus was dead. He was going to have to warn his mother, but he stayed where he was to see what else he could learn. To his shock, Potter emerged from the tunnels. He was wounded, but walking under his own power. Draco swore — this was going to be bad for him. When the hell had Potter arrived? Realizing he would have to activate his escape plan from Great Britain, Draco hurried away.

* * *

Harry sat stoically as the medi-wizard patched him up. He’d suffered some minor cuts and bruises as well as a fairly deep cutting curse across his upper chest.

“Harry! You are okay?”

Looking up Harry saw Dmitri standing in front of him. “I am. I am sorry about Sasha.”

Dmitri nodded. “He was a good friend and a great partner, but now is not the time to mourn him.”

“I agree. Have we found Malfoy?”

Dmitri shook his head. “There is no sign of him. You are positive he was actually here?”

“Yes, he shoved his wife into a chamber with a basilisk,” Harry said with disgust.

“She is safe?”

“I sent her back to England,” Harry replied. “She should be staying with my godfather — they are related and he can help protect her.”

“What about the basilisk?”

Harry quickly related his conversation with Kaaliya. Dmitri shook his head in amazement. “It certainly is interesting working with you. I will contact the temple in India and see if they can send a delegation to retrieve the animal. The less time we have a basilisk in my country, the better I will feel.”

“I agree,” Harry concurred. “Kaaliya told me she has plenty of food so she won’t need to hunt.”

* * *

“What?!”

Blaise shrugged, unfazed by Draco’s anger. “That’s what I’ve heard. Potter was never in Thailand. He was in charge of the Kazakhstan mission and he’s been there for a while. Apparently he was undercover at a broom factory. He is the one who killed Rodolphus and captured Dolohov.”

Draco swore. Nothing had gone right since the night he’d had to flee Kazakhstan. “Have you heard anything about my wife?”

“You won’t like this.”

Draco simply glared. Blaise shrugged. “She was not found in the basilisk chamber. A team is working to identify the bodies, but I’ve confirmed that all of the bodies are male. Not only that, the basilisk is gone."

“What?! Where did it go?”

“I don’t know,” Blaise replied, “but no one seems worried about an escaped basilisk so either they killed it and aren’t saying anything or they know it is secured somewhere.”

“Potter could control it,” Draco reasoned. “Shit! Could he have been the one who we sent into the Chamber with her? I know the man worked at the broom factory — they recruited a lot of people from that factory.”

“That could explain how Ginny escaped,” Blaise replied. Looking over at his friend, he asked, “Where is your mother?”

“She made it to Dubai without a problem, she has some funds and our elves are working to liquidate more assets. I heard from her last night.”

“Dubai? Ah, we have no extradition treaty with the UAE.”

Draco nodded absently. “My father originally made arrangement for the safe house years ago, but obviously he never needed to use it. He funnelled quite a lot of funds to vaults there. My son, Perseus, is the heir to most of the estate. I will retrieve him from the country and take him and his brother with me. It is time to erase her teachings.”

“What about the girl?”

Draco shrugged unconcernedly. “The Weasleys can have her.”

“Anyone else going with you?”

“Astoria is coming with me,” Draco replied. “Once Ginny is taken care of, I can marry Astoria and her dowry will come with her.”

“I’m sure she would be happy to provide you with an heir.”

Draco shrugged. “I already have an heir who is at the right age to start training. I don’t want to wait another nine or ten years to start passing on my father’s legacy. I’m sure Astoria will understand. I believe she will enjoy Dubai.”

* * *

Draco changed into the robes Blaise lent him. He hated not having his own belongings, but it was only for a short period of time.

“Dobby!”

The house-elf appeared. “Master.”

“Where are my children?”

“They are at Malfoy Manor with Mistress Ginny,” Dobby explained.

“Very well,” Draco said. “Finish helping my mother with her move.”

“Yes, Master,” Dobby said. The little elf popped away, but decided to make one stop before returning to Mrs Malfoy’s side.

“Lia!”

The small elf turned when Dobby appeared in the kitchen. “Dobby.”

“Master is coming here soon. Dobby doesn’t know Master’s plans, but he wants to take young Master Perseus with him.” Looking around to ensure privacy, Dobby said quietly, “He talks about a new Mistress.”

A determined look came into Lia’s eyes. “We will protect the Mistress.”

With a nod, Dobby popped away.

* * *

Ginny woke early the next morning at first confused as to where she was, but the events of the night before came rushing back. She gently extracted herself from the bed without waking her daughter. Smiling down at the girl, she pulled the covers back over her and gently smoothed out her hair before kissing her on the cheek.

Leaving the childrens’ wing, she hurried to the master suite and without even glancing in the mirror, she stripped off her dirty and ruined clothes and jumped in the shower. She could feel the bruises Draco left on her body, but she was determined not to let that stop her.

Her thoughts turned to Harry. He had appeared just when she needed him and unlike the other men in her life, he did whatever it took to save her. She hoped he’d made it safely out of Kazakhstan. Of course, she also hoped that her husband didn’t make it out of Kazakhstan. She couldn’t even find it in herself to feel badly about that.

Finishing her shower, she entered her dressing room to find a set of elegant dress robes laid out. She walked past them and felt around in the back of her wardrobe for her comfortable jeans which she paired with a blue and white striped blouse. She felt strangely free — no wedding ring, no enforced Malfoy clothes.

After thinking it over for a minute, she returned to her dressing room and opened her jewellery box. Most of the items were so ostentatious, she hated wearing them. A smile crossed her face; she could sell these for a lot of money. Draco would be furious. He was forever banging on about his family and their heirlooms. Wait, instead of selling them she could simply give them away. She laughed at the thought of Draco seeing his grandmother’s ring on the finger of a Muggle. Shrugging, she emptied the box into her bag. She didn’t have to decide today what to do with it.

Setting the box back, she ran her hand over the back of it. A secret compartment clicked open. Ginny didn’t think her husband even knew it was there. The hinge was rusty and hard to open when she first discovered it. Inside the compartment were just a few pieces, not nearly as fine as those her husband had given her, but to her much more precious. There was a jade and moonstone bracelet that Bill and Charlie had given her for her sixteenth birthday and the small ruby earrings Bill had given her for when she’d visited him in Egypt after her first year. The pearl necklace and earrings her parents had given her for her wedding stayed in the box as she slipped the bracelet over her wrist and replaced the large diamond earrings from Draco with the earrings from Bill. She was rather surprised he hadn’t demanded the earrings back as he had the wedding and engagement rings.

Pulling her hair back into a simply ponytail, she actually felt like Ginny rather than Ginevra Malfoy. Returning to the nursery, she discovered that all three of them were still sleeping. Looking around, she could tell that Lia and Mimi had started packing.

When she checked on her daughter, she saw the mask that she’d dropped on the floor the night before. With a slightly shaking hand, she reached out and picked it up. The Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes logo was clearly visible. She’d honestly hoped that Draco was simply tormenting her, but unfortunately she wasn’t surprised.

Did Fred and George know he planned to kill her? In her darkest moments over the past years, she’d thought they probably wouldn’t care, but she really hoped they would. Staring at the logo, she decided then and there that she would not protect her family from any wrongdoing. That was what had landed her in the position she was in and they had never reciprocated the effort.

Shrugging off her morbid thoughts, she silently looked around her daughter’s room to see what else Titania might like to take with her. She smiled at the thought of this being her last day in Malfoy Manor. Maybe they could take Sirius up on his offer to live in the home in which Harry grew up. She could finally give Titania the kitten she kept hinting she needed.

She was so caught up dreaming of a new life that she didn’t hear the noise behind her. It wasn’t until she felt a wand at her back that she realised she wasn’t alone.

“I don’t know how you made it out of that cave, but you won’t be leaving here with my sons,” Draco growled as he grabbed her shoulder.

Ginny froze.

* * *

Perseus lay quietly in his room. Glancing over, he could see his brother was still sleeping. His thoughts turned to his parents. He loved his mother dearly. She was his favourite person in the whole world. While his father was mean and angry, she was sweet and loving. Mummy never hit him or yelled at him like his father did. She always gave him hugs and kisses and she always smelled nice.

He knew father hit her. It sickened him and made him angry. Mummy tried to hide what father did to her, but Perseus always knew. Perseus had to bring her potions and help her when his father was really angry. He couldn’t imagine mummy doing anything to make father so angry. She was always nice and she always remembered the rules. He didn’t know why it had to be this way, but he wished he could find a way to make his father stop.

With all of his heart, he wished that he had a different father. When he was younger, he’d wished Uncle Bill was his father. Uncle Bill was his favourite uncle. He always tried to look after mummy. Recently he’d changed his mind, while he loved Uncle Bill now he thought Harry Potter would make a better father. He was fun and nice.

What really made Perseus think he’d made a good father was when he didn’t yell at Titania or punish her for breaking the glass. He knew his father would have done so. Father would probably also have punished mummy for not watching Titania closely enough.

Today was going to be a brilliant day! They were leaving. He wasn’t entirely sure how that was happening. Father had come to retrieve mummy a few days earlier and he’d told Perseus and Orion that they would be coming to live him and his mother. He’d also told them they were going to have a new mother. That scared both boys. He didn’t want a new mother, but mummy had come home last night. Perseus was so happy. He’d been worried about what father was doing to her.

Deciding he might as well get dressed, Perseus slipped out of bed. Mimi always set out his clothes for the next day, so after a quick trip to the bathroom he was able to get dressed. He made sure his pyjamas were in the dirty laundry basket.

A scream made him jump. That was mummy! He hurried towards Titania’s room. Father was standing behind mummy, holding a wand towards her head.

Perseus paused outside the door. Father looked very angry, but there was something else. Father was always very proud of his appearance, but today he looked rumpled and dirty. Mummy looked scared. Peering around the corner, Perseus could see his sister. She was sitting up in bed and she looked terrified.

Making up his mind, Perseus hurried back to his room. Like his younger sister, Orion was sitting up in bed looking scared.

Pulling his brother out of bed, Perseus ran towards the fireplace. Grabbing some Floo powder, he looked at Orion. “You need to go get Sirius and Harry. Father is here and he’s hurting mummy.”

Orion’s eyes were big and shimmering with tears, but Perseus saw him take a deep breath and nod. Perseus threw the Floo powder into the flames. “Grimmauld Place.”

Orion tumbled out of the fireplace in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. There was no one there. He took off running. “Sirius! Harry!”

The two men in question were in the dining room on the ground floor when they heard Orion calling for them. They leapt up with their wands in their hands.

Sirius fell to his knees in front of Orion as he finished running up the stairs. “Orion, what’s wrong?”

“Father,” Orion panted. “He’s hurting mummy. He wants to give us a new mummy. Please help her!”

“Where are your brother and sister?” Harry asked.

“Perseus was going to help mummy,” Orion called out. “I don’t know about Titania.”

Nodding, Harry looked at Sirius. “Get in touch with Kingsley. I’ll head over there.”

Sirius nodded as Harry hurtled down the stairs towards the Floo.

He only had a moment to orient himself before he heard screaming. It was Ginny. Taking the time to cast Silencing Spells on himself, he ran towards the fight. They were in a bedroom off to one side of the corridor.

Draco was holding Ginny under the Cruciatus Curse. Before Harry could do anything, Perseus ran up behind his father and hit him repeatedly with a broom breaking his concentration.

“Leave Mummy alone!”

Draco cursed as he turned towards his son. He grabbed the broom and threw the boy halfway across the room. “Brat! I will teach you to disrespect your father.”

“Malfoy!” Harry barked at him to divert his attention from his son. Luckily, Harry had raised a shield as the other man turned and started firing at him. Harry was hampered by the fear of hitting Ginny, Perseus, and Titania, whereas Malfoy didn’t appear to care.

Perseus crawled on the floor over to his mother. “Mummy, are you okay?”

Her hair had fallen out of her ponytail and was a mess around her. She had a bloody lip and the beginning of a black eye. Feeling her head, she could feel a large lump on the back of her head. Although she had an almost blinding headache, she pulled herself together. Ginny managed to raise herself up slightly. “Take your sister and crawl under the bed.”

Nodding, the young boy crawled over to his sister and obediently pulled her under the bed. Her eyes were wide with fear and she was shaking, but she wasn’t crying. He hugged her. “It’s going to be okay, Titania. Harry is here. He will help Mummy.”

She looked up at him with trusting brown eyes. “Father hurt Mummy.”

“I know,” Perseus said sadly. “But Harry is here now, he’ll help Mummy.”

He couldn’t see much of what was going on from this position. He could see his mum. She had crawled out of the way. His father’s black boots were on one side of the room and Harry’s green dragon skin boots were on the other side. Perseus wriggled so he could see what was going on a little better, but still stay hidden.

“Give it up, Malfoy!” Harry yelled. “The Aurors are on their way.”

“They will find you and my wife tragically dead in my house,” Draco laughed. “I wonder what conclusions they will draw from that.”

“Dolohov admitted everything,” Harry taunted him. “You are going to lose everything — your money, your business, and your family.”

That threw Malfoy off enough that Harry managed to hit him with a Cutting Curse across the chest. Malfoy howled in pain and a Killing Curse narrowly missed Harry. Malfoy backed up and almost tripped over his wife. Without even sparing her a glance, he stomped down as hard as he could. She screamed as he crushed her hand under his boot heel. He kicked backwards and she fell back.

“Ginny!” Harry yelled. He looked over at Ginny in concern and Draco hit him with a Blasting Curse that sent him flying backward. Draco laughed and sent several Cutting Curses flying. They all hit their target.

Standing over Harry, Draco laughed. _“Crucio!”_

Under the bed with his sister, Perseus saw his mother was seriously hurt. He recognized the bad curse his father had used, too. He didn’t know exactly what it was, but he knew it was bad. He looked around to see if there was anything he could use to help Harry. In the corner, he could see the rest of the Quidditch set. He’d already used the broom. His eyes lit on the Bludger. It wasn’t as heavy as a regulation Bludger, but it was still heavy.

“Stay here,” he whispered to his sister.

“Are you going to help?”

He nodded and she pulled her blanket closer around her and lay down on the floor. As quietly as he could, he hurried over to the corner. He picked up the Bludger. Watching his father, he ran across the room and threw it as hard as he could at his father’s arm.

He hit the wand, which went clattering to the floor. Draco swore viciously as he turned to his son. In doing so, he turned his back on Harry. Harry grabbed Malfoy’s ankle and pulled, causing him to fall. Perseus scrambled back out if the way.

Harry managed to pull himself to his knees, but his wand had also gone flying across the room. He slammed his fist into Malfoy’s jaw. That stunned him, but only for a minute. Malfoy pulled a knife from his pocket. The two men scrambled to their feet and began slowly circling each other. Draco feinted, trying to draw Harry off guard, but Harry didn’t fall for it. The next time Draco extended his arm Harry grabbed it and pulled him closer. Draco fell towards him and Harry wrenched the knife out of his hand, flinging it away. Malfoy grabbed Harry around the neck and tightened his grip.

They fell, but Draco was in control of the fall. Harry was lightheaded from blood loss. He grabbed at Draco’s hands trying to pull them away, but he couldn’t. Looking over to the side, he saw the knife. With the last of his strength, he lunged for the knife and stabbed blindly.

Draco stiffened almost immediately and loosened his grip. Harry shoved the man off him and scrambled over to reach his wand. He needn’t have bothered. Draco was dead. Harry stood over him a minute waiting to see what would happen.

A noise in the doorway caused him to raise his wand. To his relief, it was Kingsley with a group of Aurors. The experienced Auror took in the scene in a practiced glance. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Harry insisted even as the room was spinning. “Ginny. He hurt her. Perseus and Titania — under the bed — get them out of here. They don’t need to see this.”

Kingsley nodded to two of the Aurors. One went immediately to Ginny’s side with her wand out. The other found Perseus huddled under the bed with tears making their way down his face. His arm was around his sister who was wrapped in her blanket sucking her thumb.

“Is my Mummy okay?” Perseus asked. “Father stomped on her and used bad curses on her.”

“Bad curses?”

“He used the Cruciatus,” Harry explained.

The Auror nodded. “Your Mummy should be okay. We are all going to go to St Mungo’s.”

A Portkey quickly transported Ginny, the children, and an Auror to the magical hospital. Another Auror retrieved Malfoy’s wand and was using Prior Incantato and recording the spells used in the fight while another was doing the same with Harry’s wand.

Kingsley looked over at him. “You are going to fall over. Sit down on the bed.”

While he didn’t want to, he was rather dizzy so he complied. The Aurors continued to examine the room. The Auror recording Harry’s spells looked up. “This is clean. No Unforgivables. I have a recording of the spells used.”

Kingsley nodded. “He can have it back.”

Once Harry had his wand back, he sent a message to Sirius, letting him know where the other children were. The medi-wizard took a look at Harry. Looking at Kingsley, he asked, “Can I give him potions?”

“Not yet,” Kingsley said as he eyed the younger wizard.

“I’m fine,” Harry insisted.

“What happened?” Kingsley asked.

Harry recounted his investigation into Malfoy, Dolohov, and Lestrange. Kingsley listened and took notes.

“How did you come to be here this morning?”

“Orion came through the Floo yelling that his father was attacking his mummy. We’ve become friendly in the last couple of months and the children have been to our house several times.” Harry described the fight with Malfoy.

The Auror examining Malfoy looked up. “Mr Potter, where did you get this knife?”

Harry looked puzzled for a moment. “It’s Malfoy’s. He tried to stab me and I disarmed him.”

“It’s a good thing you did,” the Auror said, “it is drenched with some type of venom or poison. It seems to be venom, but I can’t place it.”

Harry paled slightly. “Could it be basilisk venom?”

The Auror’s eyes widened before he looked back at the knife. “Yes, it could.”

“He and his uncle had created a basilisk.”

The Auror swore and cast a spell that labelled the knife as extremely hazardous. “It looks like he submerged the blade in the venom. Any little cut could be fatal. I can’t believe the fool was just carrying this around, especially when there are children in the room.”

“I don’t think he really cared all that much about the children,” Harry said. “He almost cursed his son more than once. Perseus is a brave little boy. He was trying to protect his mother.”

Looking down at the body, Kingsley said, “They won’t have to worry about him now.”

* * *

Several hours later Harry was ready to leave St Mungo’s with Sirius. After passing out while Kingsley was talking to him, he’d been rushed to hospital. He’d been pumped full of potions and had several fractures healed. After several doses of post-Cruciatus potion and blood replenishing potion, he was allowed to go home with Sirius.

“Are you sure you are feeling okay?” Sirius asked a bit anxiously. “And if you say you are fine I will not take you home.”

Harry laughed weakly. “I have a headache, but I just took the potion.”

Sirius shook his head as he helped Harry to his feet. He wrapped his arm around him and kissed him on the forehead. “You scared me, kiddo.”

“Sorry,” he said bashfully. “I did think I was okay.”

Shaking his head, Sirius led the way out into the corridor. “Why don’t we stop by and see Ginny before we leave?”

Harry eagerly agreed. She was on the opposite side of the unit. A young man with red hair was outside of her room. He was thin with short hair and glasses. Harry wasn’t sure which brother this was. He looked up when Harry approached.

“Hi,” Harry said, suddenly aware that he must look a mess. “I just want to see Ginny before I go home.”

“I don’t think so,” the other wizard replied. “You just killed her husband. It would hardly be appropriate for you to visit her.”

“Stop being a priss, Percy,” Bill said as he stepped out of the room. He reached out and shook Harry’s hand. “Thank you, so much. I can’t tell you how grateful I am. Ginny and the children have been worried about you.”

Harry flushed. “Are you sure? Is she upset with me?”

“Of course not,” Bill reassured him. “Percy is just being an arse.”

The older wizard laughed at the glare he received from his younger brother. He guided Harry into the room. Ginny was sitting up in bed. She was pale and her head was bandaged. When she saw Harry, she brightened up and smiled. “Harry!”

Self-consciousness forgotten, Harry hurried over to her bedside. “Are you okay?”

“Thanks to you,” she said as he sat down in the chair Bill had vacated. He reached out for her hand. She placed her hand in his. “Thank you. I don’t know what he would have done.”

“Are Perseus and Titania okay? I hated having to kill him in front of them. I know they didn’t have an affectionate relationship with him, but they shouldn’t have had to watch him die.”

“No,” she hastened to reassure him. “Titania didn’t realize exactly what was happening. My poor Perseus…he was so worried about me.”

“He was very brave. He attacked Draco several times to try to save you and then me. He protected you and his brother and sister.”

Ginny smiled proudly. “He is brilliant.”

“Where are your children?” Harry asked as Sirius talked quietly with Bill.

“They are with my sister-in-law, Fleur, and my mother,” she replied. “Bill brought them all to see me so they would know I will be okay. My parents’ house is very secure so I thought it would easier than making other arrangements.”

“Of course,” Harry said. “You don’t want to change too much for them.”

She squeezed his hand. “I don’t know if I can ever thank you. You saved me and my children. I didn’t think we would ever be free from him.”

Harry smiled. “I am so glad I could help you. You deserve so much better than…him.”

“That you do, love,” Sirius said as he strolled over. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “I am so glad you are okay. I was just talking to your brother about Malfoy’s estate. I will be happy to help you sort through everything.”

“I hadn’t even thought of that,” she said as she looked at her brother.

He smiled. “I hadn’t either, but we don’t need to deal with that right now.”

Harry stood a bit unsteadily. “I better go, but I will talk to you soon.”

He looked down at her uncertainly, but at the sight of her smile he knew it would be okay. He wanted to kiss her as she had done earlier, but he was nervous, especially with Bill and Sirius there. He squeezed her hand and the way she smiled at him made him think it would be okay. Before he could talk himself out of it, he leaned over and briefly kissed her. Like the kiss in the basilisk’s chamber, it was a chaste kiss but it was sweet and full of promise.


	8. Destruction of the House of Malfoy

“Did you talk to her?” Harry asked curiously.

Sirius nodded. “Madam Bones is voluntarily stepping down. She told me she was ashamed that she allowed so many of the old purebloods to escape punishment. She tried to tell me she thought it was the right thing to do — it would help with healing.”

Harry snorted. “Give me a break. Pretending nothing is wrong is never the right thing to do. Kingsley and I told her at the time how dangerous it was to not punish them. I can’t even remember how many times I tried to tell her that anyone with the Dark Mark needed to be punished.”

“I never did understand her reluctance,” Sirius admitted. “I think now she’s seeing how that atmosphere allowed Draco to operate almost right out in the open. I think she’s most upset at the thought that she almost pardoned Draco because of pressure from her niece. She gave into the pressure to forgive the younger generation without any repercussions and worse yet she was starting to believe they hadn’t been as involved as their parents.”

“The information in Malfoy’s study alone would have convicted him several times over,” Harry commented. “I hear Kingsley arrested all of his associates.”

“Yaxley, Jugson, Mulciber, Crabbe, Goyle, Nott — they were all arrested. Blaise Zabini was arrested for sharing Ministry secrets. Pansy Parkinson was the only one of his inner circle not arrested. She was certainly sympathetic to their cause and she was sleeping with several of them, but she never seemed to cross the line herself.”

“What about Narcissa?”

Sirius made a face. “If she stays in the UAE, she’s untouchable, but I can’t imagine she’ll last long with no money.”

Harry laughed. “I can’t believe all Perseus had to do was ask Dobby to return all of the Malfoy money and belongings and he would do it.”

“I would have loved to be there to see the look on her face as all of her things disappeared,” Sirius said with a smile. His eyes lit up. “Did you hear about Astoria?”

Harry shook his head.

Sirius laughed. “She’s pregnant!”

“With Malfoy’s child?”

Sirius nodded. “It’s a huge scandal. Out of wedlock pregnancies reflect badly on the family. Her old man already has her betrothed to a Russian pureblood — I can’t remember his name. Her family is furious. She’s being shipped off to some Russian town — Perm, I think is the name.”

Harry laughed. “That’s actually funny. Serves her right for being such a witch about Ginny.”

“Sirius! Harry!”

Harry straightened up as Ginny’s voice rang through the house. Sirius laughed at him trying to smooth his hair and called out, “We’re in the kitchen.”

A few minutes later, Ginny came down the stairs. She smiled at both of them and hugged them in greeting. Harry held her slightly longer than might be proper, but no one complained. Sirius busied himself preparing a tea tray and arranging some cakes while Harry and Ginny exchanged a whispered conversation.

Once they were all seated at the table she said, “I was wondering if your offer of a home was still good.”

“Of course,” Sirius answered promptly. “What’s wrong? I thought you were staying with your parents.”

“I am,” she sighed. “Most of my brothers think I’m making a huge mistake by giving away a bulk of the Malfoy fortune. They are very vocal about their opinions and honestly, I am getting tired of listening to them. Bill and Charlie support me and they are the only two whose opinions I respect.”

“Why do they think it’s a mistake?” Sirius asked. “I think it’s great. You have enough for you and the children and the rest will go to good causes.”

“That’s what I thought,” Ginny agreed. She laughed. “I’ve set up trust funds for each of my children and kept enough money to live on. The Malfoys have a ridiculous amount of money — more than I would ever need. I’m donating a large portion to Muggle-born causes and even a few Muggle charities.”

Sirius laughed. “That is great. Old Lucy must be rolling over in his grave.”

“Have you heard from Narcissa?” Harry asked.

Ginny laughed. “Have I ever! She’s sent several Howlers complaining about my lack of class. She’s furious that they welcomed me into their family and I turned on them in such a vile manner.”

“Welcomed you?” Sirius choked on his tea.

Ginny made a face and nodded. “I can’t figure out if she was more upset about the money and Malfoy heirlooms or Draco. She’s positive that her boy didn’t do anything wrong. She thinks Harry set up Draco.”

“She was always deluded about Lucius too,” Sirius said as Harry rolled his eyes.

After she fixed her tea, Ginny took a sip. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she comes back to the UK. I think most of the money her husband squirreled away was returned so she had nothing to live on.”

“How is Perseus doing?” Harry asked.

Ginny’s smile faded. “I think he’s doing well. He’s spoken to Bill a few times — asking if he did the right thing. Draco never encouraged any affection from the children. It sounds horrid saying it aloud, but they didn’t love him. They feared him and they are relieved he’s gone.” She frowned. “My mother made a comment about how he must be upset that his father is dead. He wasn’t, but now he’s wondering if it’s bad that he isn’t upset.”

“Surely your mum knows what Draco was like?” Harry asked.

“She pretends she doesn’t,” Ginny asked. “That’s one of the reasons I want out of there. She’s acting like I should be in mourning over my great loss. I will never mourn that bastard’s death. I am thrilled to be free from him.”

“You are more than welcome to stay here,” Sirius said. “There are three empty bedrooms on the second floor and there’s a bathroom as well. You could make it your own.”

Ginny looked between the two of them. “You are sure you don’t mind?”

“No!” Harry said emphatically. “I would love to have you…I mean, we would like to have you and your family here.”

Ginny blushed as Sirius hid his smile. “Thank you.”

* * *

“Uncle Sirius.”

Sirius turned to see Perseus standing in the doorway of his study. “Come on in.”

Perseus came in and sat in his favourite chair. It took Sirius back many years. Harry was just a little older than Perseus when he’d come to live with Sirius. In many ways Perseus was much more confident and happier than Harry had been, but he had the same flashes of uncertainty.

“Are all of you settled in?” Sirius asked. It had taken almost two weeks for Ginny and her children to move in. Sirius, Harry, and Bill had helped repaint and prepare the rooms. Bill had taken Ginny back to Malfoy Manor and helped her sort through her possessions. Her elves were cleaning up the house and preparing it for sale. Ginny didn’t want anything to do with it.

Perseus nodded. “Me and Orion love our room. Uncle Charlie sent us lots of dragon stuff for our room. We weren’t allowed to decorate our room before.”

“Very good,” Sirius smiled.

“Titania wanted unicorns,” Perseus rolled his eyes. “Mummy’s friend Hagrid took us to the big forest and showed us some real unicorns. That was pretty brilliant.”

“I’m sure it was,” Sirius agreed. “Hagrid certainly knows all of his animals.”

“Why does Mummy have lots of friends now? She didn’t have friends before,” Perseus asked.

Sirius could tell this was bothering the boy. He could only imagine how confusing it must be for him. “Your mummy had a lot of friends, but your father didn’t like them. He didn’t let her keep in touch with them.”

Perseus frowned. “He had lots of friends.” He made a face. “I didn’t like the mean witches that came with him. They were mean to mummy.”

“I’m sure they were mean.”

Looking up at the older wizard, Perseus said, “Father was not a nice person.”

“No, he wasn’t,” Sirius said.

“He was doing bad things and he tried to hurt mummy,” Perseus said softly as though he was trying to make it make sense. “Uncle Ron said that father fought with the bad guys in the war. Is that true?”

Sirius nodded. “It is.”

“You and Harry beat the bad guys.”

“I think it was more Harry than me, but yes, we did,” Sirius replied. “So did some of your Uncles and Grandpa Arthur.”

“Mummy showed me that picture thing in the drawing room,” Perseus said.

Sirius frowned as he tried to follow the boy’s train of thought. “The Black family tree?”

Perseus nodded. “Mummy showed me that we are related to you.”

“Your Grandmother Narcissa and I are cousins,” Sirius said. “That would make you my first cousin twice removed.”

“Can we be Blacks?” Perseus asked in a rush.

Sirius looked at him in confusion. “I’m sorry. What do you mean?”

“I don’t want to be a Malfoy,” Perseus said. “Father wasn’t nice and Grandfather wasn’t nice. I know father did lots of bad things. I don’t want to be a Malfoy anymore.”

“Have you talked to your mother about this?” Sirius asked gently.

Perseus shook his head. “I don’t want mummy to get upset. Mummy doesn’t like being a Malfoy either.”

Sirius considered the matter. The relationship was close enough. He was head of the House of Black and he was well within his rights to grant Perseus’ request. “I think we should talk to your mother about this.”

* * *

It was several hours later before Sirius found the opportunity to speak to Ginny. She had spent the morning baking with Titania and Orion. Perseus had spent the morning reading in Sirius’ study after their conversation.

“He asked what?”

“He doesn’t want to be a Malfoy anymore,” Sirius repeated.

“I don’t blame him there,” Ginny murmured. She considered for a few minutes. “Is it possible?”

“Technically, he is head of the House of Malfoy, but he falls under my protection because he is underage and I am his closest male relative. Harry is my heir and I have talked it over with him. I propose making Perseus my heir — he would become the Head of the House of Black and as such you and your other two children can change your name to Black. It would eliminate the House of Malfoy.”

Ginny’s eyes lit up at the thought. “You mean after all of the lectures I received about the necessity of bringing honour to the House of Malfoy I can actually help get rid of it?”

Sirius laughed. “I thought that might appeal to you. Absolutely, you can get rid of the House of Malfoy. Their seat on the Wizengamot will be added to the House of Black.”

“Would there be any…repercussions for the children?” Ginny asked.

Sirius shook his head. “If Malfoy had survived, one of the punishments that might have been imposed is stripping his family name. His actions have upset a lot of people.”

“He could beat me as much as he wanted, but he tried to kill me and that was too much.”

“That is sad, but true,” Sirius confirmed. “I have hopes that the new administration won’t simply follow the lead of the older purebloods. That’s what really landed us in this situation. At the end of the war, all former Death Eaters should have been sent straight to Azkaban. The Ancient and Noble families would have been stripped of their status and some may have been stripped of their names.”

“That would have saved me a world of trouble,” Ginny grumbled. “Would it really be that easy?”

“Absolutely,” Sirius replied.

Ginny thought about it for a minute. “I would like to change our name to Black and demolish the not very noble house of Malfoy.”

Sirius laughed. “Very well. I will notify the Wizengamot and Gringotts.

“Any idea who the new Minister might be?”

“I’m hoping Kingsley Shacklebolt,” Sirius said. “He’s a good man. He is a pureblood without the pureblood pretensions. I think that will appeal to both sides. He and Harry have been working on a plan for making sure those who need to be punished will.”

* * *

Fred Weasley looked uneasily at his twin brother. “Are you sure they didn’t give you any idea what this was about?”

George shook his head. “They just said they had a few questions. I’m sure it’s nothing.”

The pair lapsed into silence and to Fred’s relief the door opened. Harry Potter walked in carrying a box. Fred watched the other man curiously. They’d met years ago, but this man was much harder than the teen they’d met.

Without a word, Harry reached into the box and pulled out the remains of all the masks and hoods they’d made for Draco. Fred’s heart sank.

“I understood you were doing a spot of business with your brother-in-law,” Harry commented.

“He asked us to make something to shield a person from the glare of a basilisk or gorgon,” George said easily.

“These were retrieved from the cave where he and his compatriots were keeping the basilisk they bred,” Harry explained as he sat down across from them.

“He actually had one?” George asked coolly. “We didn’t know that. Draco would ask us for odd things from time to time. He was our brother-in-law, we wanted to help him out.”

Harry looked between the two. “I don’t think you understand. I know that he sent you detailed evaluations of each the hoods and masks so you could make improvements.” He set the reports down in front of them.

The twins exchanged a worried look. “Where did you get those?” George asked.

“Your shop,” Harry replied evenly. “We had a search warrant. We found not only the detailed notes on your progress, but we also found basilisk venom and basilisk skin. Do you have a license to import such controlled substances?”

When neither of the twins said anything, Harry continued. “To answer my own question, no you do not. Breeding a basilisk has been illegal since the Middle Ages. I’ve been speaking with the Kazak Ministry. There are some there who want you convicted of manslaughter in the deaths of their seven citizens who were killed ‘testing’ your equipment. Not only did you not follow the proper procedures for conducting research using deadly creatures, you recklessly caused the deaths of their citizens.”

“Manslaughter?” George repeated. “We weren’t even there. How can we be convicted of manslaughter?”

“The letters exchanged with your brother-in-law show that you knew people were dying to test your devices and did nothing to intervene. That is reckless endangerment.”

“It was Draco, not us,” Fred protested. “We didn’t want to say no. He might take it out on our sister. He wasn’t very nice to her.”

“’He wasn’t very nice to her,” Harry repeated. He shook his head. “That is one way to look at things. Did you know that he threw her into the basilisk cave with only your hood for protection?”

“What?!”

Harry nodded. George spoke up. “It must have worked then, because she is fine.”

“No, she is still alive because I was put in the cave with her and I am a Parselmouth,” Harry said evenly, the last word coming out as a hiss. He took a deep breath to calm down. “If she had been put in the cave with anyone else she would have died just like all of your other test subjects. Do you think your family would agree that it wasn’t your fault?”

He didn’t allow them a chance to reply. “You are formally being charged with Conducting Human Research without Consent. Because you knew of the basilisk and did not notify the authorities, you are being charged as accessories to the breeding of basilisks and there will be multiple charges of importing controlled substances without a license. I would suggest you both consult with a solicitor.”

Harry stood and another Auror entered the room and placed the twins under arrest. As he gathered the evidence and placed it back into the box, the new Head Auror Gawain Robards looked in. “Harry, the Minister is asking for you.”

“Thank you, I will be right up. I just want to check this back into evidence.”

“You know they will probably just have to pay a fine. They will be heavily fined, but nonetheless, there will likely be no jail time.”

“I know,” Harry replied. “I know that compared to what some of the others have done, their crimes don’t seem too bad, but many people died because of their recklessness and greed.”

“True enough,” Robards replied as he accompanied Harry to the evidence storage room. “I believe there will be a lot of that going around. It is frustrating because in many ways it seems we didn’t learn anything from the last war.”

Harry nodded before handing the evidence box to the witch in the evidence room. They waited as she verified the contents of the box and sealed it with a charm. As they left the room, Robards glanced over at his young companion. “Is that why you left the country?”

“That was a good part of it,” Harry replied. “Kingsley and I were pushing for anyone with a Dark Mark to go to prison, but the Wizengamot and Bones were looking for any reason to excuse them.” He shook his head. “Bones was ready to pardon Malfoy to allow him to fund a hospital unit. We can’t allow them to pay their way out of trouble this time.”

“Very true,” Robards acknowledged.

The two men headed up to the Office of the Minister for Magic. The opulence of this level was quite a marked change for the functionality of the Auror Department. There were thick purple carpets with gleaming mahogany doors. Harry followed Gawain down the corridor.

The corridor opened into an impressive lobby. There was a lift that was for the Minister’s exclusive use off in the far corner. The floors were now black and white checked marble covered with thick rugs and the marble walls were gleaming under the light of an elaborate chandelier. A seating area of comfortable chairs and even a small sofa was grouped off to the right-hand side. The wall behind the visitor’s area contained a photo of Minister Shacklebolt as well as a photo of the Queen. On the opposite wall was a water feature with a flow of water down an elaborately engraved wall that depicted the founding of the Ministry. It had obviously been designed to put awe into the visitors.

Hestia Jones, Kingsley’s secretary looked up as they entered the area. She smiled. “He’ll be happy to see the two of you.”

Robards laughed. “Is he getting a little overwhelmed?”

“All of the old purebloods are making a beeline to the door to assure him that they never supported young Malfoy. He was a bad seed and they are horrified by his actions.”

Robards laughed. “Right, last month they were ready to follow wherever he wanted.”

“I think the Muggles have the right way of it,” Harry said. “The House of Commons is an elected body. The Wizengamot still has too many hereditary seats.”

“While that is not a popular opinion, I agree,” came a deep voice.

Kingsley had emerged from his office. “Please come in.”

The opulence continued into the office. It was designed to impress people with a large wooden desk, behind which was a large bookcase. The black and white checked marble floor continued inside the office. One wall was taken with a large window depicting the view looking out over the Whitehall Gardens; it was very realistic, making it easy to forget that it was a magic representation. In the corner behind the desk was the flag of the United Kingdom as well as the flag of Wizarding Britain.

Kingsley looked around his new office. “I’m not sure if I’m ready for this.”

“I think you’ll be great,” Harry said sincerely.

Kingsley made a face. “Does that mean you’ll be staying on?”

“I’m attached to the British Aurors for the next few months to clean up this investigation,” Harry said. “If things go well, I would like to transfer to the Aurors.”

“Excellent,” Robards said. “I need a good deputy who doesn’t owe their position to anyone else and isn’t easily intimidated.”

“I will definitely consider it,” Harry confirmed.

“Good,” Kingsley said. He led the other two over to a round table that was covered with reports. “I need help delving into all of this.”

It was several hours later that Harry emerged from the Minister’s office. He was pleased with the direction the government seemed to be heading. Kingsley was a good man and he was looking for honest people to root out the corruption of the past.

* * *

Harry smiled when he spotted Ginny in the drawing room reading a book to Titania. The pair of them made a beautiful picture. Ginny was much more relaxed and much happier now. She laughed and smiled more easily. The day before she’d played hide and seek with the children, something she’d told Harry she didn’t feel comfortable doing while she was married to Draco.

Titania was very absorbed in the book until she looked up and saw Harry in the doorway. “Hawwy!”

“Hello, beautiful,” he said with a smile.

“Hi, Harry,” Ginny said with a lovely smile as she set down the book she’d just finished reading to her daughter.

He sat down next to them, thrilled to be able to spend time with them. “What are you lovely ladies doing today?”

Ginny shrugged. “I’m not entirely sure. Perseus and Orion went over to play with Teddy. They think he is brilliant.”

He nodded. “I am going to Diagon Alley. Do the two of you want to come with me?”

Titania’s eyes lit up. She shifted on her mother’s lap so she could look up at her. “Pwease, Mummy.”

Laughing, Ginny hugged her daughter. She glanced over at Harry. “Are you sure it wouldn’t be an imposition?”

“Of course not!”

“Okay, we should probably change our clothes,” Ginny said as she helped Titania off her lap and then stood up.

“Why?” Harry asked as he looked them over. Ginny looked absolutely beautiful in a modest pair of jeans and a green blouse. She had her hair back in a simple ponytail with very little makeup on. Titania was adorable in a plaid green dress with black tights.

“I’m in jeans and I don’t have any makeup on,” she said uncertainly. An angry look briefly crossed her face. “Listen to me! I…it’s…I always had to be perfectly turned out to go out. It’s a hard habit to break.”

Reaching out, Harry took her hands in both of his. “I think you look beautiful the way you are. I don’t care what you are wearing, but if you want to change — go ahead. It is totally up to you what you wear.”

Tears welled up in her eyes, she hated that she was still expecting Harry to be more like Draco. “Thank you. I think I want to change my shirt. I will be down in a few minutes.”

“Okay, I’ll be waiting.”

Leaving Titania with Harry, she hurried upstairs. She changed into a warm green jumper and brushed out her hair and left it down. Defiantly, she decided not to put on any makeup. She’d worn very little before her marriage, but Draco had always insisted upon it.

When she arrived back downstairs, Harry had helped Titania put her jacket, hat and scarf on. He was still squatted down next to her, listening to her ideas on what she wanted to do today as she pulled her mittens on. Ginny had to hide a smile. He looked a little overwhelmed, but he was listening intently. Titania was chattering away perfectly at ease with him.

She cleared her throat and Harry looked up and smiled. He stood easily. “You look nice. Are you ready to go?”

The three of them used the Floo Network to travel to the Leaky Cauldron. Harry led the way and tapped the bricks to open the passage onto Diagon Alley. Ginny held Titania’s hand as the little girl jumped up and down excitedly.

Ginny smiled as she stepped onto Diagon Alley. She had always loved going shopping with her mother. As a child she’d eagerly gone school shopping with all of her brothers, impatiently waiting her chance to go to Hogwarts. Going shopping as Mrs Ginevra Malfoy had been a trial, she’d always felt as though she was being judged and evaluated. It was rather freeing to be shopping as Ginny — a widow and mother. While others might have expectations of her, she found she didn’t care.

She glanced down at Titania who was looking around in amazement. Holding tightly to Titania’s hand, she followed Harry down the street. The entire street was decorated for Christmas with boughs of greenery and red bows, several establishments had fairy lights in the window and both the Leaky Cauldron and a smaller tea shop had little Christmas trees in their windows.

“Where do you need to go?” Ginny asked Harry.

He shrugged. “Not really sure. I don’t have anything I need to do; I just wanted to walk around.”

The three of them walked down the street looking in windows. With a few judiciously placed warming charms, the cold weather didn’t bother them. Harry and Ginny both held one of Titania’s hands and they shared memories of the shopping district.

“I used to love to come school shopping,” Ginny said. “I used to hope Hogwarts would forget how old I was and let me come early.”

Harry laughed. “The first-time Sirius brought me here — it was overwhelming. I still wasn’t sure I believed in this whole magic thing. He rescued me from my aunt and uncle and he actually wanted me around. For me that was enough of a miracle. When he started showing me around the wizarding world, I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe such a place existed.”

Titania tugged on her hand. “Mummy. Aminals!”

Looking up, Ginny saw they were standing outside the Magical Menagerie. “You want to look at the animals?”

Titania nodded eagerly. Harry laughed and led the way into the cramped little shop. He lifted her in his arms and showed her the fire crabs and rats. Ginny watched as he indulged her by showing her whatever animal took her fancy. It was so lovely to see and Titania was loving Harry’s attention.

“Kitties!”

At her daughter’s cry, Ginny wanted to intervene, but Harry was already crouching down next to the cage holding kittens. There was a calico kitten with blue eyes that was adorable. Harry helped her take her mittens off so she could stick her fingers through the cage and the kitten was sniffing her.

Titania shrieked with laughter when the kitten licked her fingers. Laughing with her, Harry asked the shop clerk to open the cage. The clerk handed Harry the kitten. With one arm still around Titania, Harry cuddled the kitten.

“You have to be very, very gentle with kittens,” Harry told her. Taking her hand in his, he helped her stroke the soft fur. She gasped. “Kitty soft.”

“She is, isn’t she?” Harry asked. Lifting the kitten, he rubbed the kitten against her cheek. The kitten started purring. “Do you hear that? The kitten likes you.”

Titania’s eyes grew wide. “The kitty wikes me?”

“Of course,” Harry answered with a smile. He looked over at Ginny and was shocked to see tears on her face. “Ginny?”

Quickly wiping her face, she came over and joined them. “I’m sorry. She’s very sweet, isn’t she?”

Meeting Harry’s eyes, she shook her head. She hoped he would let her wait until later to explain.

“Are you sure?” Harry asked uncertainly.

“I’m just being silly,” she replied. “The kitten is adorable.”

Reassured, he looked down at Titania and said, “I think we should bring her home.”

The little girl gasped and looked at her mother. “Can we, Mummy?”

Ginny looked from the kitten to her daughter’s pleading eyes. “You are sure it is okay?”

“Of course,” Harry laughed. “Sirius won’t mind.” Looking at Titania, he said, “We could teach her to play with Padfoot. Padfoot loves kittens.”

Winking at Ginny, Harry lifted the kitten and headed over to the cashier. Titania lifted up her arms to her mother. Ginny laughed as she picked her up. “You are getting too big to carry.”

Titania put her head down on her mother’s shoulder. “I fink da boys will wike the kitty.”

“I think they will, too,” Ginny whispered as she kissed her daughter’s messy hair. Harry conjured up a little kitten-sized cage and they left the shop.

“We need to think of a good name for her,” Harry said as they walked down Diagon Alley. Glancing over, he noticed that the little girl had fallen asleep. He gently moved her hair out of her face.

“I guess we should go home,” he said reluctantly.

They arrived back at Grimmauld Place and Ginny set her daughter down for a nap. With a wave of her wand, she removed the little girl’s outerwear. She looked up and noticed Harry waiting in the doorway. Smoothing the blanket, she stepped out of the room and closed the door.

“What happened?” Harry asked a bit anxiously.

She sighed. “I’ve always wanted a kitten. When I was at school…well, let’s just say my parents couldn’t afford it. After Perseus and I were installed at Malfoy Manor, I decided to start with some chickens. My mum always had a chicken coop and they are so cute. Draco found out and…” She blinked back tears amazed it could still affect her after all this time.

“He broke all of their necks in front of me and warned me never to do something like that again. He was so…”

“Evil,” Harry offered as he handed her a handkerchief.

She gave him a watery smile. “Sorry to be such a hosepipe. I know it’s ridiculous crying over something that happened years ago, but it made me realize how dangerous Draco could be. To watch him gleefully kill so many innocent creatures just to teach me a lesson was awful. I put any thoughts of pets far away. The thought that we are free and I can do something like get a pet just hit me.”

Harry hugged her tightly. “I’m glad you are well rid of him.”

* * *

Ginny set the paper down in satisfaction. The House of Malfoy had been officially dissolved. She and her children were now officially Blacks. Harry clattered down the stairs into the kitchen. Ginny smiled.

“Good morning.”

He grinned and dropped a kiss on her cheek. “Good morning.”

“There’s tea and toast,” she said. “I wasn’t really hungry this morning.”

“I’m a big boy,” he teased. “I’m perfectly capable of making breakfast.”

After searching the cold cupboard, he emerged with some eggs, mushrooms, and peppers. Ginny watched in amazement as he chopped up the vegetables and whisked together the eggs, milk, herbs and poured them into the pan.

“You really can cook.”

Harry laughed. “I can. My relatives had me helping in the kitchen as soon as I could see over the stove. When I moved in with Sirius, we took turns cooking. He made cooking fun for me.”

“I don’t think many of my brothers cook. I know Ron and Percy don’t — they do a lot of take out. The twins try to con whatever girl they are dating into cooking for them. Bill and Charlie do okay. I’ve actually never seen my father try to cook anything.”

“Really? Sirius told me that my dad was a pretty good cook.”

“My mum is very traditional,” Ginny explained. “She loves cooking for a whole group of us. It would drive me insane. I can cook, but I will admit I’ve been spoiled with the elves. I’m not very creative with my meals.”

Harry brought his omelette to the table. “Want some?”

She stole a few bites. “This is really good.”

“Thanks,” he smiled. After taking a few bites, he said, “So are we going to the auction?”

She nodded. “I want to see it myself.”

“Okay,” he replied. “We will need to disguise ourselves a little — unless you don’t care.”

Running her finger along the grain of the table, she considered the matter. If they went as themselves, they would be mobbed by people — not to mention the headlines it might garner. “I think I’d rather go in disguise.”

He nodded. “That’s probably for the best.”

After he finished eating, he gestured for her to stand up. Drawing his wand, he said, “Is it okay if I make a few changes?”

She nodded. His magic was much stronger than hers and she didn’t want her glamours to fail halfway through the day. He studied her for a minute before waving his wand. After a few moments he nodded in satisfaction. With another wave of his wand, he conjured up a mirror.

“I don’t look like myself.”

He laughed. “That’s the point.”

Now she had short, blonde hair with bright blue eyes. He didn’t change anything else, but just those two changes made a huge difference. “I like it. No one should recognize me.”

With a few more spells, he’d changed his hair to light brown and his eyes matched hers. He covered up his infamous scar. “What do you think?”

Tilting her head, she looked him over. “I like you better with green eyes, but you will do.”

He laughed. “Thank you. I’m just glad I don’t have to go deep undercover.” He shuddered. “For a few months I had to have a beard. I hated it.”

She wrinkled her nose. “I can’t imagine you with a beard.”

“It’s not a pretty sight,” came a voice from behind her.

Harry made a face at his godfather as he entered the kitchen. Sirius looked over the two of them. “Very nice. Have fun.”

After a few last-minute instructions for Sirius, she followed Harry outside. He was wearing an older pair of jeans that were rather snug in places with a t-shirt from a pub called the Drunken Dragon. He was wearing a pair of black boots. She was likewise dressed in jeans and a t-shirt with black boots. It made her feel younger and a bit rebellious. They pulled on leather jackets — Sirius had given her one for Christmas.

“Wait here,” he said.

A moment later, he emerged from the small garage, pushing a large motorcycle. She’d been looking forward to this ride all week. He’d taken her on shorter rides, but this was going to be their first long ride.

Harry opened the bike’s storage compartment and they both donned their helmets. She climbed on after him and held onto his hips. He activated the communication spell on the helmets. “Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

She held on tightly as he roared out of the alleyway. Driving in the city wasn’t very exciting, but once they started driving on the motorway she loved it. The bike had been enchanted so Harry could slip past traffic and of course there were safety charms on it as well. Sirius’ bike was enchanted to fly, but Harry hadn’t done that with his bike.

As they drove along the M4, Harry entertained her with stories of his first rides with Sirius. She loved listening to him talk. While he hated to talk about himself, he was a great story teller. He could make something that was probably quite scary into a very funny story. One of the things she admired was how he always gave praise and credit to others rather than highlighting his abilities as her former husband would have done.

When he pulled off the motorway and started driving towards Malfoy Manor, she tensed up. He reached back and squeezed her knee. “It will be okay, love.”

Nervously she nodded before remembering he couldn’t see her. “I know.”

They arrived at the house and Harry parked the bike. He took her helmet from her and after storing both helmets, activated the bike’s security charms. Looking at her, he pulled her into his arms. “It will be okay.”

She held on a little longer than she usually would, but she needed the extra comfort. Pulling away, she managed a smile. She pulled off her gloves and stuffed them in her pockets before reaching for his hand.

She found a pair of seats towards the back of the room while Harry registered and brought over a bidding paddle. Frowning, she asked, “What is that for?”

“You never know,” he whispered. “We might need to drive up a price or who knows — maybe you might want something for target practice. Come on, let’s look around.”

At first she wondered why he thought looking around would be a good idea, but when she saw all of the precious Malfoy heirlooms sitting out on tables ready for auction she couldn’t help but smile. All of the precious heirlooms that Lucius and Draco prized so much were laid out for everyone to see. There was a rack of wands — she hoped a nice Muggle-born bought those. On second thought, they might make nice kindling.

A slight Middle Eastern man was walking through the rooms looking at the offerings. She tapped Harry on the shoulder. “That’s Narcissa’s solicitor.”

“I can’t imagine she has much money to buy anything,” Harry murmured. “I heard a rumour that he contacted Kingsley to try to arrange her surrender. Unfortunately, she never took the Dark Mark so we can’t convict her as a Death Eater. However, Kingsley is quite creative in finding charges to bring against her.”

“Good,” Ginny said a touch bitterly. “She may not have participated, but she certainly stood back and watched everything.”

He wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “She will pay.”

Eventually, the two took a seat in the auction room. Ginny watched with a smile on her face as the Malfoys’ most precious belongings were split apart and auctioned off. Some of the more hideous pieces didn’t sell — she didn’t care, she was going to give away whatever didn’t sell.

True to his word, Harry sometimes used his paddle to drive up on the price on some items. Narcissa’s solicitor was able to purchase a few baubles, but Ginny had already disposed of most of the jewellery which is what Narcissa was most interested in. Some of the jewellery she had broken down so they could make new pieces from the stones. She also let Andromeda Tonks go through all of Narcissa’s things to see if she wanted any of the Black heirlooms.

After the auction was concluded, Harry and Ginny approached the auction house representative, Andy Wells, after removing their glamours. They had worked with him extensively in preparing the auction. He looked up in surprise. “Ms. Black, I didn’t realize you were here.”

She shrugged. “I wasn’t sure I was going to come. We didn’t want people to make a big deal out of us being here.”

He nodded. “That is quite understandable.” Pulling out a ledger, he said, “You’ve made quite a bit of money today. We actually made more than we thought and we’ve had two inquiries about the manor itself.”

“Excellent,” Ginny said. “I would like to donate all of the proceeds.”

She had to bite back a smile at the look on his face. “All of the proceeds?”

She nodded and pulled out a sheet of parchment. “If possible, I would like to divide the money between these organizations.”

Andy looked over the organizations and a smile came over his face. “These organizations are all Muggle charities.”

“Yes, they are,” she said proudly. “My children and I went over the charities and chose these.” She’d chosen some big charities like Oxfam and the British Red Cross as well as smaller charities like the local children’s charity and the local animal shelter.

“I would be happy to do so,” Andy replied. “I will send on the documentation. I know we have some owl orders coming as well. You still want to donate everything that doesn’t sell?”

Ginny nodded. “Donate it, burn it, I really don’t care. I just don’t want to deal with it any longer.”

“Very well.”

Taking Harry’s hand, Ginny left the manor for the last time. She felt so much freer. “I hope a nice family buys this house. They can transform it into something wonderful. That would be the best I could hope for.”

“I think that’s a great idea,” Harry said with a smile.

* * *

Harry headed downstairs. Ginny was having breakfast with her brother, Percy. It was nice that most of her family was attempting to make it up to her. Percy had taken her out and apologized profusely for his role in forcing her into her marriage. While it certainly didn’t make up for what had happened, Ginny was happy to be where she was. She was released from her marriage and her children were doing well. Her relationship with her parents was never going to be what it was, but she wanted her children to know their only remaining grandparents.

As Harry neared the drawing room, he found the people for whom he was searching. Perseus and Orion were colouring. Titania had gone with her mother to have breakfast.

“Hi, Harry,” Perseus said happily.

Orion looked up and smiled. Harry looked down at his picture. “Is that Madeline?” he asked referring to the kitten Titania had chosen.

The little boy nodded eagerly. “She sleeped in our room last night.”

“Slept,” Harry absently corrected.

“Slept in our room,” Orion obediently corrected himself.

“Is something wrong, Harry?” Perseus asked anxiously.

Sitting down, Harry shook his head. “No, not at all. I have something I want to talk to you and your brother about.”

“Okay,” Perseus said as he put down his crayons.

Clearing his throat, Harry said, “I wanted to ask you something.” He paused for a minute and looked over at Perseus who had taken his younger brother’s hand. Realizing he was making the boys nervous, Harry recognised he just needed to ask them.

“I want to marry your mum,” Harry said. “I love her very much and I love the three of you.”

He looked up at them as if to gauge their response. They both had smiles on their faces. That gave him the courage to go on. “I know your mum had a very, very bad marriage and I don’t know if she would want to get married again. I hope she would, but I don’t know for certain. What do you two think? Would that…would it be okay with you?”

“Are you going to be mean?” Perseus asked.

“Absolutely not!”

The boys exchanged a look. Orion asked. “C-could we call you daddy?”

Harry blinked, not expecting this question. “Of course, if she says yes.”

“She will,” Perseus said. “You make her happy. She sings and plays with us all the time now. She used to do that when father wasn’t around, but she does it all the time now.”

Harry smiled at the thought that he made her happy. Perseus said, “I think it’s a really good idea.”

Relaxing, Harry opened his arms. Both boys ran to him and embraced him. “I think it will be so amazing to be your father. I love all three of you very, very much. Do you want me to be your father?”

“Not a father,” Perseus said firmly, “We want you to be our daddy. We never really had one of those.”

“I would be honoured to be your daddy,” Harry whispered. “If your mother says yes.”

“She will,” both boys chorused.

* * *

“That looks good, Mummy. You look really pretty.”

Ginny looked at her son in amusement. For some reason, Perseus wanted her to dress up for tea. She’d let him pick out her outfit. He’d chosen a green flowered dress with short sleeves and a pair of low heels. It was more of a spring outfit than a winter one, but she wore it for him.

To her surprise, he had changed into a nice set of clothes. He wore a collared shirt with his best jeans as did Orion. When she saw Titania, she grew even more suspicious. Her daughter had changed from this morning and was wearing a polka dot dress.

She knelt down next to her daughter. “You look very pretty.”

“Fank you. Unca Sirius helped me.”

She looked back at Sirius who had been helping the children dress. “What is going on?”

“It’s just a little surprise,” Sirius replied easily. “The children wanted everyone to dress up nicely. I merely helped them.”

“Okay,” she said a bit uncertainly.

The three children thundered down the stairs while Sirius and Ginny followed at a slower pace. He grinned at her. “We are taking tea in the garden today.”

Bemused, she followed the children out to the garden. It had been cleaned up and fairy lights were hanging in the small oak tree. A table had been set for six with a large tea tray that included cakes and sandwiches. Everything looked lovely. Warming spells had been cast on the garden as it was much warmer than she knew the temperature to be.

Harry was waiting for them. He too had taken the time to dress nicely. She couldn’t help but smile when she saw him.

“You look beautiful,” he whispered before he kissed her.

“Thank you,” she said softly as she sat down. Looking around she looked around. “What is going on?”

The children giggled, but her attention was captured by Harry. Walking over to her, he knelt down next to her chair. “The last few months have been the most wonderful of my whole life. You and the children have brought so much joy to my life. I know that so much has happened and…well, I might be too soon, but I love you so much. Will you marry me?”

Tears immediately sprang to her eyes. She couldn’t believe it, this was something she never thought would happen to her. When she’d married Draco, she’d had no say in the matter. Looking around, she saw Perseus nodding vigorously while Orion was jumping up and down. Obviously, Harry had spoken to them already.

“Yes,” she said when she realized she’d never answered him. “Yes, I will marry you.”

With relief, he slid a beautiful ring on her finger. Ginny looked down to see a small, but tasteful round diamond with two smaller diamonds on either side. Tears spilled down her face even as she smiled brilliantly. “It is beautiful.”

Standing he lifted her into his arms. She lifted her face and kissed him deeply. She heard her children and Sirius cheering in the background. Laughing, she pulled away. Quickly she wiped away her tears and the six of them sat down to a happy tea.

She couldn’t stop comparing this to last time. The day her marriage had been decided, she’d been sent home from Hogwarts to prepare. Today there was a lot of laughter. While she knew some would comment that she’d not been widowed long enough, she knew in her heart it was the right thing to do.

Looking over at her new fiancé, she was thrilled to see the joy and love in his eyes that she felt in her heart. Watching Sirius entertain the children, she could see a bright future. She couldn’t wait to bring children into a happy marriage. This marriage was going to be everything her first wasn’t.


End file.
